Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has said motorcycles will be procured by his administration to aid the activities of the commercial transport business if elected into office in the December polls.
According to John Mahama, the riders will be assisted through various payment frameworks to ensure individual ownership of the vehicles in the long run to boost the country’s employment numbers.
This follows the party’s position to legalise the trades, also known as ‘Okada,’ as part of the tall list of promises in its manifesto.
Mr. Mahama’s hint of regularizing the business has been met with opposition for the NPP government.
Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia on Wednesday categorically stated that government will not barge as the business exposes citizens to risk while proposing alternatives to the venture.
“Their [Okada riders] problem will be the lack of capital but if they [Transport Sector Recapitalization Project] bring in new leasing policies and we have our national ID card with our digital addresses and so on, we can have a credit system working and give you an option other than this risky venture,” Dr. Bawumia said on Wednesday.
His position has been described by Minority Spokesperson on Parliament’s Transport Committee as a display of a confused government.
“We are witnessing a government in total disarray. The left doesn’t know what the right is doing,” the Kwame Agbodza Governs said.
Currently, Section 128 (1) of the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (Legislative Instrument 2180), states, “The licensing authority shall not register a motorcycle to carry a fare-paying passenger.”
Former President Mahama has, however, backed his legalization promise up with a pronouncement that the future NDC government will play an integral role in the procurement of the bikes through various financing modules such as hire purchase.
“We will buy some of the motorbikes so that you will take them on hire purchase. This means you will pay the amount in installments. When you are done with the payment, you will now own it fully,” he said.
Source: myjoyonline.com
