BIZZARE : Bonesetters Protest Ban on Commercial Motorcyclists in Bayelsa

The council of traditional bonesetters in Bayelsa State has sent a delegation to the state government to protest the ban on commercial motorcycle operators popularly called Okada in the state, saying that the move has sent most of them out of business.

The bonesetters asked the state government to rescind its decision on the issue as they are now finding it hard to feed their families and meet their obligations.

The Deputy Governor of the state, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah, disclosed this while briefing journalists on the activities to mark the first year anniversary of Seriake Dickson as governor of the state.

Jonah, who received the delegation on behalf of the governor, said he told the bonesetters that the government was happy to send them out of business.

“We told them this in the interest of the people and families who are victims of these accidents.”

Jonah who was justifying some of the hard decisions the government had made since coming to power, disclosed that there were opposition to the decision, among others.

The Deputy Governor who represented Dickson, also explained the reason for the high budgetary spending by the state government on security and infrastructural development in the state.

Jonah said though the critics of the first year performance of the Dickson administration are ignorant of the past security challenges and total air of despair created due to crime and cultism, the spending on security is to win the confidence of the people, attract development and promote investment in the state.

“When we came into the state, life meant nothing to Bayelsans. Cult-related activities were high. And there was hardly any night you won’t hear gun shots in the in Yenagoa.

“And dead bodies will be picked in the morning. We decided from the onset that if we must have confidence of our people and must attract development. We must tackle security head-on.”

Jonah pointed out that the state government have embarked on over 17 key projects and made investment on technology and security infrastructure to ensure that the state is at its present position,”the next step is to ensure the creeks are safe.”