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Ashaiman MCE bans ‘Okada’ after 11pm to curb robberies

The Ashaiman Municipal Assembly has ordered the arrest of riders of motorbikes spotted after 11:00pm as part of measures to curb armed robbery and other crime-related activities in the municipality.

Date Created : 3/9/2018 1:40:30 AM : Story Author : citifmonline.com

The Municipal Chief Executive, Albert Boakye Okyere, told Citi News in an interview that the measure will help address the surge in crime.

“We don’t want them to operate within that zone, and more so we have told them that no motor operations will be allowed after 11:00pm every day. After 11:00pm, we will not allow any motorbike to operate within the municipality. If it is a private motorbike you have to prove to the police. We have as well discussed with them how jointly we can be watchmen of our own communities in order to curb robberies,” he said.

He explained that the directive is to among other things control such operations which he said was illegal in the country.

“The okada operation itself has its own issue of not being a legal business practice, yet this is where we find ourselves. So we think we should put some control measures in place. They can be anywhere, but these very areas that we have found them to be very congested.”

Per Ghana’s laws, the use of motorbike for commercial purposes is illegal.

Despite the criminality of such business in Ghana, such operations have been booming especially in the capital city, Accra.

There have been an upsurge in armed robbery cases in the last few weeks with some persons including an expatriate losing his life.

Communities such as Oyibi, Halelluyah and Gbestele all in Greater Accra, have recently recorded high cases of armed robberies.

‘We’ll shoot to kill robbers who engage us’

Meanwhile, the Accra Regional Police Command has threatened that it will shoot to kill any armed robber who attempts to engage the Police in a gunfight.

Speaking to Citi News, DCOP George Alex Mensah said the Service will do all it takes to protect its officers and the citizenry.