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Nasarawa State Government has banned the use of commercial motorcycles popularly known as okada as a means of transportation.
It has however, launched tricycles popularly known as ‘keke TA’AL, to replace motorcycles on the highways.
Governor Tanko Al-makura launched the new tricycles Wednesday at the Government House, Lafia.
Speaking at the ceremony, Al-makura regretted the influx of commercial motorcycles into the state and attributed the development to the ban against okada by neighboring states.
According to him, the ban on okada became imperative because of increase in criminal activities and road crashes within the cities in the state.
He however, stated that the introduction of the tricycles was part of his administration’s plan towards ameliorating the transport difficulty being experienced by the people of the state.
The governor said: “We wanted to complete the roads within the cities before commissioning the tricycles because it requires good road network for this kind of transport system, but the recent activities of unscrupulous and undesirable elements who were flushed out from other states compounded the matter as they found themselves here and started using motorcycles to perpetrate their evil acts.”
The governor said his administration purchased 100 tricycles as a pilot scheme, adding that they would be sold to members of the okada union at subsidized rates with favourable re-payment terms.
Receiving the keys, the Chairman of ‘okada’ riders in the state, Mallam Yahaya Jibril thanked the governor for his good gesture and promised that his union will utilize the tricycles to achieve its purpose.
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