The Kano state government in North West Nigeria has banned operations of tricycles across major routes in Kano City, the second biggest commercial centre in the nation in the quest towards Urban Renewal and sanitization.
The Managing Director of the Kano Road Tarafic Agency, Baba Baffa Danagundi who stated this in a media briefing in Kano state said the decision was part of efforts to decongest traffic and ensure sanity within the metropolis.
“The tricycle operators were banned from plying includes Hadejia Road, from Mundubawa round about to Gezawa, and also from Tal’udu to Gwarzo roundabout.
“Modern mass transit buses and taxis provided by the government have already started plying the routes as such the public should not be weary about inconveniences, more routes will be included as more buses and taxis arrived,” he said.
He however explained that designated tricycles painted with green colours which are meant to carry goods only from markets and not passengers are exempted from the ban.
“The state government has started giving out taxis to some of the affected tricycle operators who are licensed to drive, through the Kano state investment and property to caution the effects,” he added.
Chairman, Amalgamated Tricycle Riders Association, Kano chapter, Mansur Tanimu said the group is aware of the development urging members to be law-abiding as grievances arising from the ban would be tabled before the government for smooth resolution while some tricycle operators said the development will affect their welfare.
Enforcement of the ban on tricycles begins from Wednesday, 30th November 2022.
Kano state has a high concentration of transport activities leading to traffic jam at peak hours of the day.
The government believes that tricycle operators popularly called in the local Hausa language “Adde Ta-sahu,” especially on the major highways are a factor to the traffic challenges being experienced.
Earlier this year, riding hours of the tricycle operators were restricted from 6 am to 10 pm by the government citing security challenges.
PIAK
