The tricycle menace
Before now, the common means of public transportation in the major cities involved the use of taxi cabs with commercial buses joining as the nation’s population shot up. Tricycles, which are popularly called Keke Marwa, until the name was changed to Keke NAPEP, became prominent during the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, which implemented the National Agency […]
Before now, the common means of public transportation in the major cities involved the use of taxi cabs with commercial buses joining as the nation’s population shot up. Tricycles, which are popularly called Keke Marwa, until the name was changed to Keke NAPEP, became prominent during the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, which implemented the National Agency for Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP), made it possible for the importation of large quantities of tricycles into the country, mainly for jobless youths and young school leavers.
The ban of commercial motorcycles from major roads in the country had encouraged the patronage of tricycles as the alternative mode of transport for the common man. Apart from the structural similarity and functionality to motorcycles, tricycles are not expensive to buy, use and maintain. They easily maneuver very busy roads, especially, during serious hold-ups and when many people are eager to get to their destinations at the same time. This causes great commotion. It is common to see a cross-section of people that falls within the working class riding on commercial motorcycles whenever they needed to keep up important and urgent appointments.
Massive importation of tricycles encouraged more people to take to that line of self-employment by earning a living and boosting the economic life of many cities across the country.
Today, Keke has regrettably turned into nightmare for road users. They have equally become prime sources of trauma to commuters and other motorists. They are now terror on the roads through reckless over-speeding, disobeying traffic rules and dangerously meandering through every available space between vehicles on serious traffic situations and engaging in reckless over-speeding. I have seen on several occasions whereby tricycle riders struggle with vehicle owners while plying the roads. I kept wondering what makes the Keke operators feel special or important or have that kind of blind audacity to struggle with cab drivers.
The truth is that there is a thin line of difference between motorcycles and tricycles. In actual sense, what most motorcyclists did after their ban was to dispose of their motorcycles and purchase tricycles in order to be in business. What it means is that nothing has really changed when we look at the so-called migration. It is the same personalities behind both the banned motorcycles and the new tricycles that are still carrying excess luggage, overloading, over-speeding and committing other crimes and attacking commuters. It is simply like an old wine in a new bottle; no matter how much the wine is packaged or represented, it remains same.
It is for these reasons that a better approach should be put in place to tame this monster. It remains a social problem because of the lives and property of the people that are involved and vulnerable to the untold and ugly experiences being suffered in the hands of the operators. To start with, the purchase and riding of tricycles for commercial purposes should be revisited. It should be well regulated so as to prevent people of questionable character from becoming commercial tricyclists overnight. Furthermore, indiscriminate importation of tricycles into the country should be closely monitored, as many of them are not roadworthy at all. The country appears to be a dumping ground for imported equipment and machines.
Government personnel plying for roads safety should stop looking elsewhere and rather beam their searchlight on only cars and buses at the neglect of motorcycles and tricycles. Stiffer penalties such as fines should be imposed, to punish anyone that violates traffic rules and regulations. Law enforcement agents should be supportive in restoring sanity on our roads. More mobile courts should be put in place to summarily try traffic offenders.
The installation of electronic speed-breakers on the Keke itself would also go a long way in ensuring compliance to road regulations. Educational awareness, public enlightenment and sensitisation of the people on what to do and not to do, would go a long way in getting our riders to behave properly. We should always and remember to keep our roads free and safe.
Adewale Kupoluyi writes from Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), [email protected]