The Amalgamation of Commercial Tricycle Riders in Kano is calling on the state government to come to the rescue of its members – numbering about 10, 000 – who have lost their tricycle business so as to save local transport system in the state.
Lately, Grassroots Parrot observes that residents of Kano metropolis are experiencing scarcity of tricycles at strategic locations at peak hours, a situation which is subjecting commuters to untold hardship.
While commenting on the development, Alh Mansur Tanimu, the Chairman, Amalgamation of Commercial Tricycle Riders in Kano, attributed the trend to the current economic hardship and inflation.
Tanimu told our correspondent that the economic downturn forced many of their members out of the transportation business because they could no longer afford the price of the hire purchase tricycles.
“We have over 50, 000 registered members before but they are not up to 50, 000 now. About 10, 000 of them are out of business”. He lamented.
According to him, a new tricycle is sold for over N2.7 million while those on hire purchase go for as high as N3.7m, combined with the high cost of maintenance.
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“Of course, those that are buying tricycles in hire purchase have reduced the buying and the person who owns the tricycle cannot even maintain it due to the high cost of spare parts.
“So if they want to buy a new tricycle on hire purchase, they will be asked to deposit N500, 000 unlike before that they were depositing just between N30, 000 to N50, 000, so tell me where do you expect the tricycle riders to get N500, 000 now.” He asked rhetorically.
To salvage the situation, the Chairman said the riders association is now partnering with the Kano State Investment and Properties Limited (KSIP) to integrate their members with the Kano City Mass Transit Scheme.
Grassroots Parrot recalls that in November 2022, the state government through the Mass Transit Scheme, purchased and deployed 100 ultra-modern buses and 50 taxis to get rid of the tricycles in some major roads.
Some of the affected routes included Ahmadu Bello Way by Mundubawa Road to Gazawa and Tal’udu Road to Gwarzo. The government thereafter banned the operations of the tricycle in the affected areas.
It was also gathered that some miscreants vandalized 12 of the buses deployed, leading the operator, Kano Metropolitan Transport Company to withdraw the buses for several hours.
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Shortly after the attacks, Kano State government rescinded its ban on the operation of commercial tricyclists on selected township roads few hours after the commencement of enforcement of the restriction.
However, the then rejected stone is now appeared to be the cornerstone for the tricyclists who are now considering to partners with the Kano State Investment and Properties Limited (KSIP) to assist their jobless members.
“Because of the situation, we recently held a meeting with the Kano State Investment and Properties Limited (KSIP) to also purchase more Kanawa Taxis and engage our members so that the local transportation in the state can be more effective.
“We are also urging any interested private investor to key into the transport business in the state by procuring more busses to rescue the local transport and to prevent our members from losing their means of livelihood.” He said.