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Over 2m ‘Okada’ riders operating?
Okada man
There are currently over 2 million registered commercial motor riders, popularly known as ‘Okada riders’ operating in the country across all 16 regions; even the remotest part of the country.
That huge number notwithstanding, they have been unsuccessful in courting support from the public to get the appropriate Act of Parliament to legalise their activities.
The national Spokesperson for the Okada Riders Association of Ghana (ORAG), Mr Solomon Akpanaba, told The Spectator, that remains a major headache for the association.
“We provide an essential service that makes it possible for people to move from one place to the other to carry out their activities. In so doing, we also contribute to Ghana’s socioeconomic growth but sadly, the public has not backed our calls to legalise our operations.”
Mr Akpanaba told The Spectator in an interview that Okada riding had to a large extent helped to reduce youth unemployment cases and believes that it was time a serious consideration was giving to it by government to make their profession legal.
He said instead of quickly accusing them of being reckless on the road and being a threat to road safety, the authorities should rather put measures in place to train them to ride safely and observe the road signs.
The national Spokesperson said currently, although there were uncountable number of driving schools, no effort was being made to get a school with certified instructors to train motor riders.
He said having riding schools with certified instructors would be helpful in this regard, explaining that the riders would therefore be licensed by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) recommendation from such instructors.
He said at the moment, the training of the riders remains the responsibility of the ORAG.
According to him, training and regulating their activities could deal with the school of thought that their members also use their cycles to engage in robbery because every single member can be tracked and their activities monitored.
“We also need the motorbikes registration numbers designed to fit commercial purposes so that the difference between a commercial and non-commercial motor riders will be distinctive,” he explained.
He said if they were given numbers based on their locations, it would even make it easier for the association, its members and the public to monitor them to do what is right.
He disclosed that even though they were compelled to insure their motorbikes, whenever they were involved in an accident, they were told by insurance companies that they do not qualify for insurance benefits due to the position of the law on commercial riding.
Mr Akpanaba said Okada riding had come to stay based on the assessment of the invaluable services they provide and so the time has come for the state to regularise them instead of attempting to scrape them off.
From Dzifa Tetteh Tay, Ashaiman
Massive celebrations were recorded countrywide as the Black Stars opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with a 1-0 victory over Panama in Toronto on Wednesday.
Midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi scored the only goal of the match late in the game as he shot in a decent cross from substitute Brandon Asante.
The win gave Ghana a positive start in the competition, placing them in second position behind England, also with three points but with a superior goal aggregate.
After the final whistle, the streets and other viewing centres were turned into partying grounds as fans, mostly clad in the team’s paraphernalia, danced to several World Cup-themed music.
Others blew the vuvuzelas in joyous mood with others putting up a spirited ‘jama’ session.
Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the Adentan Constituency, Akosua Manu, has urged party members to move away from what she describes as an “entitlement mentality” and focus on unity, sacrifice and hard work as the party prepares for the 2028 general election.
In a statement titled “Is Loyalty a Queue?”, and posted on facebook, Ms. Manu argued that loyalty to the NPP should not be judged by how long a person has been in the party but by their contributions and commitment to its growth.
According to her, the NPP’s history shows that many of its leaders faced significant opposition from within the party before eventually leading it to electoral success.
She cited former President John Agyekum Kufuor as an example, saying he had to overcome resistance from influential figures within the party before winning power for the NPP in 2000.
Ms. Manu noted that after the party lost power in 2008, former President Kufuor faced criticism and accusations from some party members.
However, she said supporters eventually put their differences aside and worked together to rebuild the party.
She pointed to the experience of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who, according to her, faced opposition from some factions within the NPP despite his long service to the party.
“His trials were ten times what Kufuor endured,” she stated, adding that Akufo-Addo eventually overcame the challenges and became President of Ghana.
Turning to the NPP’s current flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Ms. Manu said he also faced resistance from different groups within the party while seeking leadership.
She praised Dr. Bawumia for contributing to policy-based political discussions in Ghana and for remaining composed following the NPP’s defeat in the 2024 elections.
According to her, party members must now rally behind him in the same way they supported former Presidents Kufuor and Akufo-Addo.
Ms. Manu, however, warned that internal divisions and a sense of entitlement remain major threats to the party’s future.
She argued that some party members place too much emphasis on how long individuals have belonged to the NPP rather than on their contributions and capabilities.
“This entitlement does not question impact. It does not ask what you sacrificed or what you built. It asks only how long have you been here,” she said.
The former parliamentary candidate cautioned that such attitudes could discourage committed members and prevent the party from selecting the best people for leadership positions.
She further called on the party’s incoming national executives to strengthen the NPP’s core values of sacrifice, honesty, integrity and dedication to national development.
Ms. Manu addressed the concerns of young party supporters, many of whom she said became discouraged following the NPP’s electoral defeat in 2024.
According to her, many young people remain eager to see the party return to power but are unwilling to support internal conflicts driven by personal ambitions.
She urged party elders to place the interests of the NPP above their individual goals and to demonstrate leadership that attracts rather than alienates members.
“The NPP is bigger than any one of us. It always has been. Our collective responsibility is to act like it,” she stated.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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