Aba residents knock Ikpeazu govt; Condemn ban on Tricycles’ operations as politically motivated

By Ijendu Iheaka

Aba residents have condemned government’s ban on Tricycle operations in Aba from 7 pm to 6 am describing it as painful, sinisterly and politically-motivated.

Abia government Thursday night announced the banning of Tricycle operations in Aba from 7 pm to 6 am.

A press release signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Chris Ezem cited reports of use of the Tricycles for criminal activities for the ban.

The residents, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Aba on Friday and reacted to the ban in separate interviews, said it was punitive.

Dinneya Onyenjinkeya said the move must have been politically motivated having been the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government’s way of forcing the numerous operators to their side during elections.

“Before the last election for Ikpeazu’s second tenure, he banned Tricycle operations causing much pain for the people and the operators.

“Using his men, the government met with them and made them to bow to their plans and the ban was lifted.

“The same thing is repeating itself and the painful part is that people are going through hell now and this will add to their problems,” he said.

Mr. Stephen Asianya said residents will never support the ban because they rise early and wait long at bank branches now because of the currency change and its challenges.

Asianya also said that residents prefer to use Tricycles more now because of high cost of fuel noting that the ban will add to their hardship.

“They have to use another means to track these criminals using Tricycles to commit their criminal acts because those who do such do so under the broad day light.

“The ban will never help and has never helped because the way to check criminality in a sector is not to stop it from operating”, he said.

Mr. Romanus Okoroafor said that Tricycles are the main means of transportation for Aba residents and that the time span of the ban starts too early.

He suggested that the time should be taken to 10 pm to 6 am to enable residents get home after their daily activities at work places and markets.

“Our leaders do not consider the welfare of the residents before acting. Many Tricycles are under Hire Purchase for close to N2 million now.

“If you enforce the ban, and you have not created other jobs for them, how can they meet up with their payment obligations?

“The group that benefit from this is only the Policemen who use it to extort Tricycle Operators. It is unfair, government should review the ban for good”, Okoroafor said.