Motorcycle association clashes with OPay service provider over operation in Kwara
By Matthew Denis and Adeshina Mariam
All seems not to be well between the Joint Motorcycle Riders
Association, Kwara State branch and the OPay network in the state.
OPay network is a company offering motorcycle service tagged ‘Oride’
within Kwara State at a token through online payment.
Findings by this medium shows that since commencement of operation
of the company in the state, many commercial motorcyclists have
enlisted with OPay network.
This it was gathered did not go down well with the leadership of the
commercial motorcyclists association in the state.
A commercial motorcyclist, Lukman Damilola who spoke to our reporter
on the development, said the leadership of the association has made
their operation with the company conditional.
He explained that though the union allowed them to operate with the
company, but restricted them from wearing the OPay reflective jacket.
” They told us that we could join the service of the company but we
must wear the association’s uniform,” he said.
Speaking to the Pilot Business on the issue, President of the
Motorcycle Riders Association, Elder Ajewole Gabriel, said when the
service was launched in the state, the leadership approached the
management for an agreement on mode of operation.
“We told them to allow our members who enlisted for their service
wear our uniform while putting on their own helmet for security
reasons, which they agreed to during the meeting but didn’t implement
these after.
” We called their attention to it, but there was no response, hence
our decision to write letters to all the security agencies in the
state and the Kwara Ministry of Works and Transport, to report the
issue,” he further said.
Gabriel noted that the issue is before the ministry and the security
agencies, saying they are awaiting appropriate decision.
When this medium visited the Opay office in Ilorin, a top management
staff simply said, “we are not allowed to speak to the press. You can
visit our Lagos office.”
