Amaechi speaks against ban of Okada, tricycles

Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transportation, has appealed to states and local governments across the country against the ban on motorcycle and tricycle. Amaechi said motorcycles and tricycle operations should be integrated into the country’s transportation systems rather than ban their use. The Minister spoke at the inauguration of the state secretariat of Amalgamated Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners Repairs and Riders Association of Nigeria, in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. Represented by the Deputy Director, Mass Transit Administration in his Ministry, Foluke Oni, Amaechi noted that both Motorcycle and tricycle serve as primary means of transportation in some communities in the country. Noting that it was rational to allow the citizenry choose any means of transportation that suited them, he, however, advocated for continuous use of helmets by motorcycle riders, training and re-training as well as insurance for motor cyclists, tricylists and their users. He said, “There is need for states and local governments to integrate these tricycles and motorcycles operations into their mode of transportation and should begin to think more on how to enhance their operations rather than thinking of phasing them out. Tricycles and motorcycles are important in the area of provision of essential and easy to reach transportation all over the country. “Just like in the developed nation, we should ensure that the citizenry have the opportunity of choosing the form of transportation that best suit them.”