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By Anthony Isaac
Operators of Keke (commercial tricycle) in Lagos have protested the ban placed on their services by the Lagos State government.
The ban which came into force on February 1, affects also the operation of Okada (commercial motorcycles) in several local government areas of the state including highways and bridges.
ExpressDay recalls that similar protest was carried out last Friday by companies operating app hailing Okada services. The affected companies are Gokada, Max and 1st Ride.
The companies which said stakeholders were not consulted by the state government before the ban was imposed advocated for adequate regulation rather than blanket ban.
But on Monday, the Keke operators from Lagos Mainland, Yaba and Oyingbo on staged a peaceful protest at Maryland, carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Create Jobs, Don’t Take Jobs”, “Sanwo-Olu, My Job is My Life” and “Maruwa Operators are not Criminals”.
The Chairman, National Union of Tricycle Operators, Yaba/Mainland described the policy as unfair, noting that it would plunge many able-bodied young men into unemployment.
He said: “We are the ones that voted for this government and we need government to support us. Look at everybody here now, they want to work. In Yaba/Mainland, we have over 500 tricycle operators and we pay N200 daily to the council.
“So we contribute to the economy and we want to continue to do that. Government should please look into this decision.”
Also, a civil rights activist, Mr Wale Balogun, who mobilised the protest, said commercial motorcycle and tricycle operators were not responsible for the security challenges in Lagos.
Balogun said he was in solidarity with the protesters because he believed that restricting their operations would worsen security in Lagos and neighbouring states.
He said: “Commercial motorcycle and tricycle operators are partners in progress with the Lagos State Government. They are the friend of the masses who do not have big cars to ply their roads. Many commuters have been stranded since the ban began.
“We are saying the government should rescind its decision and not plunge these teeming youths into unemployment.”
According to him, if the government had created employment opportunities, many youths will not go into commercial motorcycle and tricycle operation.
“They cannot take away what they did not give. Rather than take to crime, these young people decided to earn their living by riding “Okada” and “Keke”.
“Many are still paying in installments about N1. 2 million and the state government cannot just take this away. How will they feed their families?
“Our appeal is that government should look again at this decision in order not to push these people into criminal activities,” Balogun said.
He commended the protesters for their peaceful conduct, adding that they should not relent in the struggle to be able to earn legitimate income.
The ban affects the operation of Okada and Keke on Apapa LG- Apapa Iganmu LCDA, Lagos Mainland LG – Yaba LCDA, Surulere LG- Itire-Ikate and Coker-Aguda LCDAs, Ikeja LG- Onigbongbo and Ojodu LCDAs, Eti-Osa LG- Ikoyi-Obalende and Iru/Victoria Island LCDAs, Lagos Island LG- Lagos Island East LCDA.
