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Government has not abandoned Okada riders, union insists
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The Commercial National Motor Riders Union (CNMRU) has dismissed claims that the government has failed commercial motorbike riders after receiving their support during the 2024 general election campaign.
The union described allegations by a group known as the Okada Riders Association (ORAG) as false and misleading, insisting that the government has taken concrete steps towards legalising and regulating commercial motorcycle operations.
In a statement issued after a press conference on August 18, the CNMRU stated that the government established a technical committee after the 2024 elections to conduct research and engage stakeholders on the regulation of Okada operations.
According to the union, it has been actively involved in the process, representing the interests of commercial motor riders across the country.
It added that a delegation of stakeholders travelled to Rwanda to study that country’s system for regulating commercial motorcycle operations.
The delegation included representatives of the CNMRU, the National Road Safety Authority, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and the Ministry of Transport, the statement noted.
The union further stated that the bill on the regulation of commercial motorcycle operations has been laid before Parliament and is going through the legislative process.
“This is concrete progress, and it demonstrates that the government has not abandoned the Okada riders,” the CNMRU stated.
It also said sensitisation programmes were ongoing across the country to educate riders on road safety, licensing, responsible riding and the expected legal framework for commercial motorcycle operations.
The union noted that it was working with the government and the DVLA to bring mobile licensing services closer to riders and assist them in obtaining driving licences at subsidised rates.
It also welcomed plans to establish an electric motorcycle initiative in Ghana, which it said would provide commercial riders with access to environmentally friendly motorcycles under a work-and-pay arrangement.
The CNMRU explained that it supported President John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) during the 2024 election campaign because of their commitment to address the legal and regulatory challenges facing commercial motor riders.
“We supported a commitment, and today we are witnessing concrete steps toward fulfilling that commitment,” it stated.
However, the union acknowledged that not all the challenges facing Okada riders had been resolved.
It urged commercial motor riders, the media and the public to distinguish between what it described as political propaganda and the work being undertaken to regulate the sector.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has announced plans to introduce a new Bill to strengthen the legal framework for the discipline of lawyers in Ghana.
In an address read on his behalf by the Deputy Attorney-General at the opening of the 2026 Conference of the Ghana Bar Association, Dr. Ayine disclosed that the Bill is headed to Cabinet for review and approval before being laid before Parliament.
The proposed law, to be called the Legal Profession (Practitioners Standards Board) Bill, is expected to transform and strengthen the regulatory framework for disciplining lawyers to safeguard the rights of practitioners and promote public confidence in the profession.
According to the Attorney-General, when passed, the Bill will establish an independent Disciplinary Committee with clear rules of procedure and proposals on proportionate sanctions.
He explained that this marks a progressive departure from the existing framework where the Disciplinary Committee both investigates and adjudicates complaints. The Bill also proposes clear and strict procedural timelines for resolving grievances to avert prolonged deliberations that frustrate both clients and lawyers.
Secondly, Dr. Ayine noted that under the current framework, Superior Court judges sit on the Disciplinary Committee whose decisions, as quasi-judicial decisions, are subject to reviews and appeals in the same courts where these judges preside.
The new Bill seeks to eliminate this conflict of interest by creating a separately constituted Board composed of lay non-lawyers and professional representatives with guaranteed tenure.
The Attorney-General added that the Bill seeks to separate professional discipline from executive, judicial or competitive interference to ensure that disciplinary mechanisms are not weaponized against lawyers by clients, the Bench, or the State.
The introduction of the new law forms part of efforts by the Attorney-General to introduce reforms into the legal profession aimed at revolutionizing legal practice and training. It follows the passage of the Legal Education Act, 2026, which is currently at the implementation stage.
News
Gov’t did not approve market near school — Stan Dogbe clears air on Ahafo Ano South market siting
Deputy Chief of Staff, Stan Xoese Dogbe has reacted to a viral video raising concerns about the siting of a market close to a school in the Ahafo Ano South District of the Ashanti Region.
In a post responding to the video, Mr. Dogbe said he has been in contact with the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, who he said is on top of the situation and has long since halted the construction process.
According to him, the decision to designate the said land near the school for the market was not a government decision.
“Once the development was brought to the RCC’s attention, the regional minister immediately asked that the process be stopped,” he stated.
Mr. Dogbe explained that the community currently has no available land space for the construction of the model market, which necessitated their choice of the location near the school.
He noted however that the community has been asked to find another, more suitable piece of land for the project to commence.
“We thank all for the interest in developmental issues in our communities,” he added.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
