Commercial motorcyclists protest alleged new number plates’ exploitation in Ondo

Commercial motorcyclists in Akure, Ondo State, on Thursday, protested over the alleged new number plates’ exploitation by the State Ministry of Transport.
The riders, who marched on major streets and roads in Akure, the state capital, appealed to Governor Olusegun Mimiko to reverse the new order which directed them to obtain new number plates at N10,000.
The protest, which lasted several hours, paralysed business activities as the protesters blocked major roads and moved round the city in large numbers on their motorcycles starting from the entrance to the Ministry of Works to Oyemekun Road.
The protesters carried different placards with various inscriptions such as; “ Mimiko must go: We are tired of this government’’, “Tofowomo is a thief,’’.
They described the introduction of the new number plate and other charges by the state government as “barbaric and a total exploitation”.
One of the protesters, Mr Olumide Akiola, said the government had come up with a policy banning all number plates used by commercial motorcycles which were not obtained from the state.
“They said that we can no longer use number plates from other states but the one designed in the state with a red line.
“So those arrested with such number plates are made to pay N5, 000 and a compulsory N2, 000 for ‘card Igbeayo’ and another N700 before the motorcycle will be released.
“Our leaders have been trying to get the government to change the policy but it has refused but started arresting our people.
`When we try to get them released, they will be asking for all kinds of money, that is why we decided to rise against it,” Akiola said.
Also speaking, a graduate and a commercial motorcycle rider, Mr Akinlade Temitayo, urged the government to consider the effect of the ban of commercial motorcycles on the masses.
“What we want is to be using the number plates we are already using. We don’t want anybody to harass us on the roads.
“Going to the licensing office to collect another number plate at N6, 500 will be very difficult for some of us. Last week, we heard information on radio that any motorcycle with private number and not commercial number would be arrested.
“The manner in which Okada riders were being treated in this state, is very bad. We embarked on this protest to let Governor Mimiko know that the policies of his government were not pleasant to the common man.
“We are also asked to collect the residency card “Kaadi igbe ayo’’ but we don’t have money. They have seized more than 100 motorcycles now,” Temitayo said.
All efforts to speak with the Commissioner for Transport proved abortive and none of the ministry officials was ready to talk on the protest.
Though the protest was peaceful, a combined team of armed policemen, soldiers and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps was later deployed to clear the barricaded roads.