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Over 1000 women in Delta State have threatened to go nude if the increase in the daily operational tickets of commercial motorcyclists from N70 to N150 by the state government was not reversed.
They protested at Oleh, Isoko South Local Government Area, Delta State, Thursday, thronged major streets of the community, and condemned Wednesday’s arrest of some commercial motorcyclists by soldiers and men of the Delta State police command.
They lamented that the increment was detrimental to the well being of the okada riders, saying they would go nude if the levy was not discontinued.
Chanting songs of grievances and displaying placards which bore various inscriptions such as “No more ticket, no more police matching”, “Stop ticket collection”, “No more ticket, leave our children alone”, Oleh women in general, are against the increment of okada ticket” amongst others.
One of the protesters, Agnes Umuro, stressed that “my son is a graduate who have no job for over three years now. He is just managing this Okada work to feed me, if he buys ticket for 150 everyday, how will he balance the person who owns the motor cycle and still feed me?
“We don’t need ticket anymore; they should leave our children alone. Government did not provide job for them; they are just managing themselves with this Okada riding”.
Corroborating, Mrs. Felicia Enerieakpoze, said “government should stop forcing Okada riders to buy ticket. Government has not been able to provide jobs for them; they are only managing their life through the Okada”.
Corroborating, Mrs. Felicia Enerieakpoze, said “government should stop forcing Okada riders to buy ticket. Government has not been able to provide jobs for them; they are only managing their life through the Okada”.
But Celestina Kalu, Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Delta Command, said the action of the police was to suppress efforts of some “okada miscreants” who were out to truncate the peaceful atmosphere in the community.
