Oyo govt gives commercial vehicle operators 14-days ultimatum to paint vehicles

Users of taxicabs, tricycles and motorcycles for commercial purposes in Oyo State have the next 14 days to paint their vehicles in the state colours of chocolate brown and yellow.

Chairman, Oyo State Transport and Road Management Authority (OYTRMA), Mr Akin Fagbemi, handed down this directive, on Monday, after a meeting with stakeholders of the tricycle and motorcycle associations, at State Secretariat, Ibadan.

Fagbemi said the directive was aimed at arresting intruders and enabling the state to distinguish between private and commercial vehicle operators.

While noting that the directive was in complying with existing state’s laws, Fagbemi said the enforcement now became imperative to curb armed robbery, kidnapping and other crimes perpetrated by criminally minded vehicle operators.

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“We have observed Micra that are not painted in commercial colours, tricycles not painted in the commercial colour of the state. We also noticed that we cannot differentiate between motorcycles used for private and those for commercial.

“We cannot differentiate the ones used for robbery and kidnapping.

“We want to control the influx of those not part of us. It is an existing law and we cannot be in a state of lawlessness. Even if we are not banning Okada, we need to have a way of identifying them.

“So, I am giving two weeks for all Okada, tricycle to be painted in commercial colours of chocolate brown and yellow. It will go a long way in the area of identification. We want out people to know that an Okada is commercial before boarding it.

“The law is not new. They are laws that have been in existence but the problem is the enforcement, which we want to start now. We are going to give them the grace of 14 days. It will help us to know those tricycles, motorcycles and the Micra that are meant for the state. With that, we will be able to identify those not meant for the state we know how to sort them out. However, we are still working on the permit,” Fagbemi said.

Furthermore, Fagbemi also hinted on plans to create and align commercial vehicle operators to designated routes for orderliness and ease of mobility in the state.