As part of measures to cushion the hardship commuters are facing Following the ban on the operation of commercial motorcyclists popularly called ‘Achaba’ as well as the restriction on the limited number of persons in a Keke NAPEP in Bauchi state to curtail the spread of Coronavirus, the state government is to procure 500 Keke NAPEP in order to boost intra-city transportation.
The announcement was made by the State Governor, Sen Bala Mohammed who said that government has concluded every plans to procure the 500 tricycles (KEKE NAPEP) for distribution to riders as alternative means of transportation.
The Governor who was addressing stakeholders on the COVID-19 situation in the state on Thursday said that the tricycles will be given to the leaders of the Unions who will, in turn, give them out on hire purchase even though the government will look into how to make payment easy for the operators.
Recall that the state government after banning achaba recently gave approval to KEKE NAPEP’s operators to carry only two passengers in line with the social distancing policy.
Bala Mohammed while addressing traditional, religious leaders and other stakeholders at stakeholders meeting on COVID 19 said that the tricycles would be distributed to those who were operating achaba but have been rendered jobless by the ban.
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He also said that the decision was necessary in order to address the scarcity of the tricycles and ease movements of people who do not have vehicles charging the citizens across the state to comply with the order on the partial lockdown imposed by the government and ban on all forms of gatherings so that they can stay safe and healthy.
While Contributing, one of the participants of the meeting and an Islamic preacher Malam Yahaya Mai Tauhidi lamented the hike in the fares charged by KEKE NAPEP riders as a result of the ban of achaba asking the Governor to urgently do something about it.
He also tasked the government on regular sanitation of the state and evacuation of refuse dumped in different areas of the state capital to avoid transmission of infectious diseases.
Another cleric, Dr Mansur Isa Yelwa appealed to the Governor to be inspecting the isolation centres periodically to ensure that patients are properly fed and catered for to prevent them from protesting or escaping from the centres, mingling with other people thereby increasing risks of community transmission which he said will not be good for the state.
It will be recalled that the state government after banning achaba recently, gave approval to KEKE NAPEP operators to carry only two passengers in line with the social distancing policy a development that has led to hike in fare per drop.
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