ASABA/Nigeria: Delta State Government has up a joint taskforce to regulate the activities of commercial motorcycle (Okada) and tricycle (Keke) operators in the state.
The State Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, this in Asaba in a joint press briefing, said that the measure was aimed at checking the rising cases in criminality through the use of keke and okada by criminals.
The briefing had in attendance the Director-General of the Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency (DSCTA), Hon. Onyeeachi Mrakpor; the Chairman of Delta State Taskforce on Environment, Hon. Sylvester Oromoni; and representative of the Tricycle and Motorcycle Operators Unions, Comrade Tony Chukwudi.
Aniagwu also disclosed that the taskforce, which will also address issues of illegal structures and trading on the roads, would commence operation on Monday, November 23, 2020.
He frowned at the practice by some commercial keke and okada operators coming from distant locations to operate in Asaba, saying such did not only violate their ban from plying the highways but also made them to evade identification protocols to check criminal elements.
“For the security of our people, we will not allow the operators of keke and okada outside their residential towns. Those in Issele-Uku or Ibusa or Ogwashi-Uku should remain in their areas,” Aniagwu stated.
On the issue of security personnel violating the rules and intimidating the union officials from enforcing the rules governing commercial operators of keke and okada, the commissioner said: “Everyone should operate within the rules and we will work to ensure nobody intimidates the union from enforcing the rules no matter how highly placed.”
On her part, the Director-General (DG) of the Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency, Hon. Onyemaechi Mrakpor, expressed concern on the recent trend of criminal activities being noticed in the capital territory perpetuated by what she referred to as ‘alien tricycle and motorcycle operators’.
She stated that the hoodlums were not Deltans, adding: “Our own people, the drivers/cyclists in Delta State do not push people from their tricycle or motorcycle and dispossess them of their property; that is not our people.”
Speaking further, the DG reiterated that the state government had no intention of banning Keke and Okada from the state capital territory, saying that the state acknowledged their immense contributions to the economic growth of the state and also as a means of employment for the youths.
The DG called on the all unit head to put their house in order by fishing out those not registered with them and report suspected criminal to the police immediately.
“The state government will not give deaf ear nor fold its arms to the activities of these hoodlums, who are not registered or recognized by union or who do not operate within that dictate of the union rules; those who are defacing the environment by littering the state.” Mrakpor stated.
She warned that those guilty of operating illegality and also who had turned their premises to dump sites to refrain or face the law beginning from Monday, November 23, 2020.
The State Chairman of Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Operators, Chief Obi Nzeke, pledged the readiness of the union to work with the state government to enforce sanity in the operation of keke and okada.
Chief Nzete, who was represented by the Financial Secretary of the union, Comrade Tony Chukwudi, complained of uniformed security personnel operate commercial motorcycle and tricycle of violating the rules governing the union and intimidation the union officials, and called for government intervention.
