Mahama’s promise to legalize Okada: A vote-winning gimmick with deadly costs?
When former President John Dramani Mahama, during his 2020 and 2024 presidential campaigns, promised to legalize and regularize commercial motorcycle transport popularly known as Okada his proposal struck a chord with thousands of young riders struggling to make a living in an economy where job opportunities are limited.
“I will legalize Okada if I’m elected President, We will bring proper regulations and training, so they can operate safely and help reduce unemployment’
But beyond the cheers of hopeful riders, many urban planners, safety advocates, and transport analysts believe Mahama’s promise—though well-intentioned—misses the mark.
In its current state, Ghana’s infrastructure is ill-equipped to handle a full-scale rollout of legalized Okada operations, especially in already congested urban areas.
Legalizing Okada without dedicated lanes or proper integration into the national transport policy will do more harm than good.
In Accra, roads are already overwhelmed by a mix of trotro buses, taxis, private vehicles, and now an increasing number of motorbikes.
Imagine thousands more Okada riders legally competing for space on the same narrow roads as buses and cars—what happens to order, to safety?
Without dedicated motorcycle lanes, Okada riders will continue to weave through traffic, disregard traffic laws, and increase the likelihood of road crashes.
According to the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), over 40% of road crash fatalities in Ghana in 2023 involved motorcycles.
Even before any formal legalization, Okada operations have been rampant in both urban and rural areas.
Riders frequently flout traffic laws, carry multiple passengers, and rarely wear helmets.
The lack of formal training and licensing contributes to the alarming rate of road accidents involving motorcycles.
Supporters of Mahama’s position argue that regularizing Okada could provide formal jobs for thousands of unemployed youth, especially in peri-urban and rural communities where transport options are limited.
Indeed, Mahama himself has repeatedly stressed the economic potential.
“We cannot criminalize people trying to survive, Instead, let us give them dignity through regulation,” he said at a town hall meeting in 2024.
But the dilemma remains: should job creation come at the expense of public safety and urban order?
Beyond regulation and licensing, a major concern is that no infrastructure has been assigned or even proposed to accommodate motorcycles on major roads.
There are no designated Okada stops, no motorcycle lanes, and little clarity on enforcement.
In cities like Kigali, Rwanda—where motorcycle taxis have been successfully regulated—strict rules, registration systems, digital payments, and special lanes are enforced. Ghana lacks most of these foundational systems.
Mahama’s plan to legalize Okada may be rooted in empathy and economic logic, but it overlooks the deeper infrastructural and safety challenges of Ghana’s transport system.
Without dedicated planning, legalizing Okada risks worsening urban congestion, increasing accidents, and burdening an already stretched public health system.
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