I seriously disagree with the positions taken by Hon. Muntaka Mubarak a Member of Parliament for Asawase constituency in the Ashanti region and Hon Agbodza Member of Parliament for Adaklu constituency in Volta region on their argument pertaining to the use of motorbike for commercial purposes
(Okada).
A news item on joy FM this evening on how 7000 Ugandan citizens lost their lives through this Okada menace emboldened my early position. Statistics show how more than 400 Ghanaians perished in last year and so many thousands are with different conditions because of motorbike.
Hon. Muntaka and Agbodza argued how the Okada business has become a good source of employment to the citizenry and further argued how helpful it is to teachers and nurses in the rural communities.
To me, yes Okada as a means of commercial transport may have some merits especially if it comes to youth unemployment. Let take the case of the bonded nurses and teachers as example. Professional teachers and nurses that are to be employed by government of Ghana after successful completion of their professional courses since 2016 are yet to be employed.
Let’s put these stands in perspective, how much is Ghana benefiting from the okara business compared to the number of precious lives lost. I could vividly remember how a very good footballer of all times ended his career and life to Okada menace.
My own junior brother nearly died during the days around 2013 when we were doing my late father’s funeral. He then remain unconscious for so many days but the help of health workers at st Anthony’s hospital in Dzodze.
I do not buy into the argument that it helps teachers and nurses. Our teachers and nurses have their own means of transport way back before the introduction of motorbike around 2002 thereabout.
The two examples cited may automatically change the stands of Hon Agbodza, Muntaka and so many Ghanaians who might be siding with them.
To be continued………
By: Angel Kwadzo Fiagbe
