Rawlings Wants Tougher Sanctions Against Irresponsible Okada Riders

Former President Jerry John Rawlings has called for tougher sanctions against riders of commercial motorbikes, popularly called ‘Okada,’ who he blames for irresponsible conduct on the country’s roads that cause accidents.

Speaking to people in Sogakope in the Volta Region, Mr. Rawlings said the irresponsible conduct of these okada drivers are causing needless deaths on the road and that the earlier tougher sanctions are brought to them the better.

Among other things, Okada drivers are perceived as notoriously disobedient to traffic regulations, poor helmet culture and recklessly speeding through heavy traffic.

“…please if you are an Okada rider  or driver and you want to die, go and die, but don’t take along people on your back or in your vehicle and drive irresponsibly or drunk or tired and kill people,” the former President said.

Mr. Rawlings also advised against the whimsical construction of speed rumps by townspeople who do so without any technical insights saying it is irresponsible, dangerous and accident-prone.

“We are doing something very illegal in trying to slow down vehicles on the roads around where we live. We are building illegal, illegitimate and inappropriate speed rumps, those are not speed rumps those are obstacles.”

“Tomorrow, if it’s your mother, your father or your child, driving in a car that drives over some of these obstacles and is involved in an accident and dies, you won’t see the connection. We are not being imaginative enough.”

The advice comes in the aftermath of a deadly accident on the Kintampo-Tamale Highway that claimed 30 lives Monday dawn.