The Deputy Campaign Manager and Deputy Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Boamah Otokunor has trivialized commentaries expressed against the legalization of ‘okada’ in the country for commercial purposes.

In an exclusive interview on Kumasi-based Pure FM, the NDC scribe explained that if President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his government has succeeded in legalising marijuana (weed) in the country for commercial purposes in order to regulate its usage, why can’t the NDC legalise the use of ‘okada’ in the country for commercial purposes to regulate its usage too?

“If Akufo-Addo legalized weed, why can’t we legalize okada?…It’s okay, for a motor rider to carry an additional passenger (in his private capacity) but you are saying it is wrong for the passenger to give a token to the rider. Does that sound like a good logic to you? The argument against the implementation is very fragile” He opined on Pure FM.

Meanwhile Transport Consultant and road safety expert, Cecil Gabrah has said that: “Politicians must not take advantage of their inability to create jobs for the youth and use Okada as bait for votes. That is so wrong in politics and they must stop it”.

“The risk involved is too high. In Accra alone, we have a lot of very fatal cases. Speak to Korle Bu Teaching and 37 Military Hospital and they will give you the daily statistics of fatalities,” he said.

The Vice President of the Ghana Medical Association, Dr. Frank Serebour has also warned that it will be impossible for the country to regulate the ‘okada’ business when approved for commercial purposes.