Plans are underway by the Abia state government to extend the business time of tricycle operators in Aba and Umuahia within the next few days.
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu gave this cheering news in an interview with newsmen after a meeting he held with the leadership of the Abia State Amalgamated Tricycle Operators Association (ASATOA) at the Governor’s lodge Aba.
“Few weeks ago we had to restrict business hours of Keke operators and now there is reason to review the impact of that policy and it is because of that reason that we invited them for a meeting.
“I am persuaded to say that in few days time, we may now extend the business hours for keke operators. This will further enhance the opportunities for business within the metropolis of Aba and Umuahia.
“The ultimate aim is to ensure that our people have more time to do their business while those who are returning from distant places can find means to get to their homes”,Ikpeazu said.
He applauded the leadership of keke unions in Umuahia and Aba for their dexterity which have led to apprehending some of the criminal elements masquerading as tricycle operators,and advised them not to relent in esponging criminals from their midst.
Ikpeazu charged the leadership of the ASATOA, Umuahia zone to imitate their Aba counterparts in developing a data base for tricycle operators in the zone adding that the initiative will aid easy identification of genuine tricycle operators in the area.
“The Keke people in Aba have now been developed a data base for all the Keke operators and they are identified with their unique operational numbers in that from the numbers you can trace all Keke operators so should any Keke be involved in criminal activities you can be sure that such individual will be apprehended”,he said.
Chairman ASATOA Aba zone, Eugene Eze Job said the group had made efforts to reduce crime in the areas as well as weed out the bad eggs among them through the establishment of a task force committee adding that over ten culprits have been apprehended and are now in the police net.
Chairman ASATOA Umuahia zone, Comrade Nduka Awomukwu in his contribution commended governor Ikpeazu for bringing the twelve existing unions under one umbrella and called for the setting up of a state committee to address the activities of criminal elements among them.
While calling on the legislative arm of government to ban the activities of street cultism across the state,Awomukwu noted that issues such as street cultism, open consumption of hard drugs among others were part of the challenges faced by the leaders of the group.
