Hike In Motorcycle Riders’ Identification Fee: OGHA Charges Consultant To MOonitor Agents.
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By HABEEBAT AJAYI
In its bid to address issues generating skirmishes among motor cycle riders in some parts of Ogun State, the State House of Assembly has admonished the Consultant handling the Commercial Motorcycle Riders’ Identification Scheme (COMORIS) to ensure that no sub agent charge beyond the N1,500 per rider contained in their consultancy agreement with the transport unions.
Members of the State House of Assembly Committee on Transport led by Hon. Oludaisi Elemide, gave the advice, during a tripartite meeting at the Assembly Complex, Oke- Mosan, Abeokuta on the implementation of the House resolution seeking the creation of a comprehensive database for Okada riders in response to likely security breach that might accompany the ban on Okada riders in the neighbouring State.
Elemide noted that the Assembly had engaged stakeholders in the transport sectors with a call for a more robust working relationship among the State Ministry of Transportation, all motorcycle unions and the consultant in charge of the identification Scheme to resolve issues that led to the recent protests by some of the motorcycle riders in the State.
The Chairman during the meeting which had in attendance the Director, Public Transportation and Commuter Services, Engr. Wale Sokunbi, the Consultant in charge of COMORIS, Juwon Adebanjo and the representatives of the motorcycle unions, posited that all hands must be on deck to ensure the successful gathering of all security information about the riders and owners of motorcycles across the State.
Elemide, who explained that the meeting became imperative due to the protests by some aggrieved riders on the execution processes put in place by the agents of the Consultant, especially on the alleged hike in the fee prescribed by the consultant; harped on the need to avoid any act inimical to the promotion of peace and tranquility in all parts of the State.
He sought for more orientation programmes and enlightenment campaigns about the scheme towards achieving a comprehensive database on all motorcycle riders, while challenging the consultant to put in place mechanisms towards checkmating the unnecessary hike in fees by some of its agents.
Elemide clarified that the of N1, 500 fee per rider as charged by the consultant in conjuction with the relevant government agencies was not an additional tax on the riders, rather it was for the registration of each rider in line with the need for the creation of database for all the riders in the State.
Earlier in his presentation, the Consultant, Juwon Adebanjo pointed out that the scheme was borne out of necessity, especially due to the prevailing security situation in the country, while promising to engage all concerned parties in the sector to have a unified process leading to the creation of data base devoid of any forms of extortion.
