Enugu govt dissolves all commercial tricycle taskforces

The Enugu State government has dissolved all taskforces for commercial tricycles popularly known as Keke in the state.

The Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Transport, Mr. Ogbonna Idike, announced this after a meeting held on Saturday with the executives and members of the commercial tricycle union in the state.

The meeting followed Friday’s protest by some members of the union over harassment and extortion by members of the operating in the Enugu metropolis.

Idike said the dissolution affected both legally and illegally constituted taskforces for tricycle operators and took immediate effect.

He, however, berated the tricycle operators for not reporting the matter to the ministry on time.

He said: “Henceforth, the state government, through the ministry, will streamline and sanction all transport union taskforces to conform to best practices and standards as well as ensure that hoodlums and thugs do not hijack such exercises.

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“First, the union must apply and get the approval of the ministry; while those to carry out the taskforce duty will be well known and well profiled with numbered reflective aprons, and identification cards and they must be properly dressed.

“All taskforce members must be duly trained by the ministry on how to carry out their duties in the most courteous manner that will not disturb public peace but attract commendation due to discipline and professionalism in carrying out such duties.

“The ministry will also clearly specify what an offence is and the attendant fine and penalty of such an offence. It will not be arbitrary or outright extortion again.”

On his part, the Chairman of the Association of Tricycle Riders Transport Union (ATRTU), Sunday Ozeh, thanked the government for its timely intervention.

He promised that the operators would abide by the ministry’s guidance and actions meant to streamline operation in the state.

Ozeh urged the state government to interface with the council chairmen to ensure that their tricycle taskforce officials operate within their designated local government parks as stipulated in their mandates.

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