COMMUNIQUE ISSUED BY PENPUSHING ON GLOBAL FUTURE CITIES PROSPERITY FUND, CURBING OF INCESSANT ROAD ACCIDENTS AND REPORTED INVITATION OF BANNED OKADA RIDERS TO OGUN STATE

INTRODUCTION

In line with its tradition of making being a responsive corporate entity by making input into strategic government policies towards better governance of Ogun State and the nation, the Penpushing Editorial Committee has reviewed some recent developments in Ogun State, particular on UK award of Global Future Cities Prosperity Fund to Ogun State; the need to curb incessant road accidents and the recent reported invitation of Okada riders to the State in the wake of the restriction placed on their operations in Lagos and has come up with the following observations and resolutions:

1.The Committee applauds the recent selection of Ogun State as one of the States to benefit from the UK Government Global Future Cities prosperity Fund Programme and reckons that this should be a challenge to the government to be more ingenious and focused in the management of the funds in order to achieve the set goals of catalyzing the State to the front row in the comity of States in Nigeria and the world generally.

2.Penpushing is suggesting that a think tank be constituted to deliberate on the funds and how best it could be utilized for public good. This would underscore the all-inclusiveness posture of the present administration in the State.

3.On road accidents, Penpushing is of the view that a curious observation and research has shown that deaths in Nigeria due to road accidents is more than deaths due to terrorism and other related crimes that had imperiled our nation. This is underscoring the urgent need for government and all Nigerians to pay closer attention to prevention of road accidents in order to preserve the sanctity of human lives in the country.

4.Penpushing identified that incessant road accidents have diverse causal factors among theme, non-road worthy vehicles due to grave poverty in the land, carelessness; poorly maintained roads coupled with bad road culture by drivers and poor enforcement by the relevant institutions.

5.Most grave of the causal factors of road accidents is the lax of such institutions such as the Police, the road safety and the Vehicle Inspection Officers to allow would-be drivers undergo required road and driving test before hitting the roads to drive. These unbaked drivers eventually constitute a menace not only to themselves but also to other road users.  Also,  the corruptive tendencies of the police and other enforcement agencies in treating road offenders has often led to the unbridled carelessness of drivers in adhering to road safety culture, by so doing endangering themselves and other road users.

6.Penpushing is suggesting that since human beings are supposed to be the most precious asset of any nation, there must be deliberate attempts by all institutions of government and the people to get more concerned about every road accident that occur on our roads,  rather than attaching the usual emotional sentiments to it when it does occur. There is need for a robust talk shop addressed initiated by the government to bring experts and operators to dilate on how we want to keep our roads safe, starting with Ogun State.

7.Penpushing is proposing data synchronization to arrest and bring punishment to bear on errant drivers beyond what we are doing at the moment. In advanced countries, if you are caught with a road offence, your means of getting another job or livelihood may be affected, which is a great detriment. We must also jettison some noxious policies such as the ones indulged in by banks where a driver’s license is demanded as an identity and precondition for bank transactions. This practice puts most people on the desperation mode to obtain driver’s licenses even if they have never sat in the driver’s seat of a vehicle.

8.On the recent ban on Okadas and tricycle in some parts of Lagos and the information making the rounds that Ogun State was going to open its doors to them, Penpushing is of the view that the statement credited to the Chairman of Ogun State Transport Committee is premature and such action is capable of leading to insecurity in the State.

9.It is being suggested that inter-government engagement between Ogun State and Lagos State be held on the real reasons behind the restriction before any decision would be taken by Ogun State on the issue.

10.It has been observed that Ogun State had in the last few years witnessed an influx of strange faces who operate within the State as Okada riders. Aside from menacingly plying their trade leading sometimes to death and sever physical injuries to commuters, some of them are of suspicious origin and opening wider door to them would imperil the state and its people on the long run.

11.In the light of this, it is being proposed that a policy be put in place to ensure adequate data or records for all Okada operators in the State. They must be made to register and those who scale the hurdles would be issued identity cards and made to wear uniforms for identification and control.

12. Given the estimated population of Ogun State at 7 million people and develop, the rapid development of new towns, there must be a holistic transportation policy than would incorporate water transportation, especially in riverine areas, the use of metro buses and intra state rail system. Also, there must be a modification and redesign of the roads in the State to accommodate metro specifications bearing in mind operation of motorcycles and bicycles as we have in developed climes.

13.Penpushing wishes to call on the present government to think out more progressive ideas for engaging the younger population, especially towards artisanship as against Okada trade considering the disincentive that such trade has posed to the dwindling attraction of the youths to entrepreneurship.

14.As a State that is coterminous to Lagos and serves as gateway to other states in Nigeria, coupled with its choice as one of the Global Future Cities, Penpushing is of the opinion that the state should brace up for the challenges that the population surge would bring and prepare to deploy pragmatic strategies in providing health care, education, vocational infrastructure and security. Also, the State should put in place a solid town planning master plan to create new towns and see a way to restructure the already poorly planned towns, especially those on the fringes of Lagos State which are to all intents passing for “emerging mega slums” at the moment.