The Lagos State Government announced Digital Registration of Commercial Motorcycles (Okada) and Tricycles (Keke) over the weekend in order to catch over 80,000 unregistered operators while also improving security, regulation, and efficiency for operators and the community.
The initiative is driven by the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation and SiiTech Technologies, an advocate for technological advancements in the transportation sector, in collaboration with Lagos State Parks and Garages, LASPG.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in 2020, banned the use of Okada and Keke in selected Local Government and Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs, in the state.
Speaking at the launch of Digital Registration for commercial motorcycles (Okada) and tricycles (Keke) in Lagos State, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, Engr Abdulhafiz Toriola, said that transportation is important to any economy to work effectively.
Toriola, who was represented by the Director of Operations in the Ministry, Engr. Olasunkanmi Ojowuro, said: “There is a need to regulate those areas where okada and keke have been permitted as means of transportation. Our investigation shows that we have about 80,000 okada operators who have not registered with the licensing authority of the state and that is of serious concern to us, as it poses security and safety issues as well as leakage of fund that is supposed to go to the state.
“What we have done is to employ the services of SiiTech to digitally register all motorcycles and keke used as commuters for the movement of people in those areas where there is no ban. The data they would get would be submitted to the ministry’s department in charge of public transport services. When that is done we would be able to trace those who are operating without a licence, it would be easier for us to take them off the road via technology.”