Hopes  by commercial motorcyclists that the Lagos state government might soon soft- pedal over the restriction of their operations in the Lagos metropolis  dimmed on Friday, when the state governor, Mr. Babatunde  Fashola, gave reasons for the action.

He said the ban slammed on okada riders from plying some major highways was a resolve by his administration to start implementing all laws and regulations aimed at curbing  road accidents.

He spoke when a group of  students from the state’s public schools, otherwise called Traffic Safety Ambassadors, visited him at the lagos House in Alausa, Ikeja.

He explained that the decision informed some of the many things his administration was  doing at present in the transportation and road safety sector.

Decrying the needless loss of lives through motor accidents on the roads in the state, he stated, “We are here because we have a duty; we have a responsibility as a government and that responsibility includes the safety and security of lives. As a government, we have decided to stop talking and start acting.

“We are only restricting their movement in the interest of their own lives and the safety of the public. It is in everybody’s interest that this should be done,” he stressed.

Fashola commended operators for their support and cooperation, adding that  “It is safety and security issue and everybody must get involved.”