THE Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, said it is not the duty of the federal government to intervene in the recent ban of ‘okada’ and tricycles in some parts of Lagos state.
Amaechi, on Monday, in an interview on Channels Television breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, said the matter is a state affair.
The Lagos state government had on Saturday announced a ban on commercial motorcycles and tricycles in the city’s major residential and business areas, including Ikeja, the state capital.
“Implementation of transport policy is essentially a state affair,” he said.
“So you can’t be telling a state whether they want Okada or tricycles or not. That’s not our responsibility. It is for the state government to decide what to do.
“I don’t know the reason why the governor of Lagos state banned it; only he can tell you. I am sure he made his decision based on the interests of a majority of Lagosians.
“But he has a problem to face, which is unemployment and increase in crime.”
On the same vein, the minister said the solution to solve insecurities and poverty in the country is employment for the citizens.
Amaechi said, “The level of insecurities in the country is not based on religion and that everyone is involved in the act.
“You have insecurities not because those guys want to be criminals they are criminals because they can’t have the means of livelihood.”
However, he added that if the government failed to provide means of livelihood for the poor, the poor will rise against the rich.
Abeeb Alawiye formerly works with The ICIR as a Reporter/Social Media officer. Now work as a Senior Journalist with BBC News Yoruba. You can shoot him an email via [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @habsonfloww