Commercial motorcycle operators popularly called “Okada” have promised to give free rides to Ghanaians on Election Day on December 7, 2020.
According to the group who are in high anticipation of their activities getting legalised by a possible election victory for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), they are ready to cooperate to make their services safe, contrary to the popular perception.
The National spokesperson of the Okada Association of Ghana, Solomon Akpanaba told Power FM that members across the country have agreed to the offer of free rides on the election day.
The groundswell in Okada narrative in Ghana is due to the promise of the NDC flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama to legalise the estimated 600,000 people engaged in the controversial commercial activity.
The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) is still in a state of uncertainty on what to do with the Okada operators as the government is both saying it will legalise it as well as saying it will continue to regard it as an illegal commercial venture.
“What we are going to do on December 7, is to transport people freely to the voting centre to vote for President John Mahama,” Akpanaba said as he anticipates stability in his business if the NDC wins power in the upcoming elections.
Recently, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia announced that the Akufo-Addo administration will not legalise what he describes as “risky business” of ‘Okada’ operations in the country but will rather provide them an alternative source of transport business.
However, the Okada riders have unequivocally rejected the Vice President’s offer, saying they are not interested in using cars for their transport business.