Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State, Dr. Asue Ighodalo has charged Okada riders to be frontliners in the fight against insecurity in the state.
Gatekeepers News reports that the candidate made this appeal during a visit to leaders of ANNEWAT over the weekend in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government of Edo state.
According to Dr. Ighodalo, “we cannot grow well if we can’t deal with security challenges across our various communities.”
He stated that Okada and tricycle riders are the foremost to encounter foreign elements within the various areas of the state noting that it is their duty to work with the existing state’s security architecture with a view to ensuring that the state becomes more safe for businesses to thrive.
He noted that refusing to report anyone who they have perceived to posses the potential to cause problems for the state, means they have inadvertently cooperated with such criminals to perpetuate crimes.
Speaking in pidgin English, Dr. Ighodalo said, “No big investor go like to come do business with us if our state no dey safe. If them no come do business una no go see customers carry up and down and that one mean say money no go dey ground plus hunger go dey.”
“I believe say many of una get wives and children wey una dey take care of from this riding work wey una dey do.”
“To make sure say the money continue to dey come, make una no do like say e no concern una when criminals enter una Okada or Keke.”
“Report to police or DSS make dem take charge so that your family go dey safe, so that you go fit do business, so that you go continue to make money.” he said.
He called for a smooth and robust relationship between security agencies and members of ANNEWAT with a view to opening a free flowing communication channel which will engender and maintain healthy feedback from members of the public who have relevant information that will facilitate and make the job of securing the state easy on the part of government.
The group appreciated the PDP candidate and assured him that they will take his advice strongly to heart to help the government succeed in securing the people and their properties.
In a speech by the chairman of the group, Comrade Shaibu Elamah, they noted that ANNEWAT is a responsible body that is poised at ensuring that the state gets the requisite resources for development.
He said that every rider is registered and well accounted for in a data base which allows for easy assessment and mobilization of members for state’s services.
Mr. Elamah assured Dr. Ighodalo of the Union’s support in ensuring that he wins the coming election and become the next Governor of Edo state.
In response Dr. Ighodalo thanked the association and further appealed that riders wear helmets to secure themselves from injuries to the head when accidents happen.
He also tasked them to insure their bikes and keke so that risks of losing same can be borne by the insurance companies whenever there is an occurrence.
“Make una dey wear helmet. Make una get insurance so that if anything happen to una bike, insurance go cover am.” He said.
