Passengers stranded as tricycle operators desert Kano roads
Story from Shafa’atu DAUDA, Kano
Tricycle Operators in Kano have commenced a warning strike to resist the move by the Kano Road and Traffic Agency (KAROTA) to increase the cost of operating permits.
Neptune Prime reports that residents result to trekking or use minivans and buses to reach their destinations.
The development also reduced traffic gridlock normally being experienced in the city as a result of the high number of tricycles in the state.
Malam Abdullahi Ali, a passenger, lamented on the strike, saying it will affect many people because tricycles is a major means of transport within the metropolis.
He urged the government and the aggrieved parties to resolve the issue amicably
Nura Yusuf, a parent, said that the strike would also affect students because some parents rely on tricycles to transport their children to schools.
READ ALSO: Commercial tricycle operators commence indefinite strike in Kano
When contacted, the Chairman of tricyclist operators in Kano, Sani Sa’id Dan Koli said they are doing their best to see that the strike did not continue, as it may cause harm to the people and economy of the State.
“Initially, the Government said we should pay 20 thousand Naira as renewal fee after so discussions with the leadership then reduced it to 8 thousand Naira, so with this, we’re calling on our members to come back to their work and continue as usual.
“Security as they’re doing, they need to be vigilant with some miscreants youth that is damaging any tricycle they see on duty. The leadership level will continue to go around the city to make sure things are in order,” the Chairman said.
Meanwhile, The Secretary, Kano State Transport Associations Forum, Malam Ashiru Sallau, distanced the union from the strike.
“The Union didn’t instruct its members to go for the strike. Some of our members resolved to take the decision, not under our umbrella.
“We sat down and discussed with the government when it introduced some measures regarding our operations. We asked the government to remove some of them to enable our members to continue to earn their livelihood.
It is in the process that some members decided to go for the strike, and not with our mandate. We are seeing what is happening in other states where they banned tricycle operations.
“The strike is the decision of some members who don’t want to be obedient to the rules and regulations,” he said.
The Public Relations Officer, Kano State Road and Transport Agency (KAROTA), Nabulisi Abubakar, said that the tricycle operators were protesting the payment of N8,000 permit directed by the state government.
He said that the agency would brief the media on further developments.
