Kaduna to introduce electric tricycles, ban plastic containers

As part of measures to tackle the menace of environmental pollution and flood the Kaduna Capital Territory Authority (KCTA) is planning to introduce electric tricycles as well as ban plastic containers.

The KCTA Administrator, Malam Hafiz Bayero disclosed this in a news conference in Kaduna to mark the World Earth Day being celebrated today (Friday).

He equally said the state is planning to bring back the monthly environmental sanitation, and the state is set to dredge the river Kaduna and it’s tributaries to stem flood and ease flow of water as the rainy season approaches.

According to him, Kaduna state government is also set to mark the World Earth Day on Friday with environmental sanitation at various points within the metropolis.

“The sanitation will take place at Command Junction, Karji, Kawo, Rigasa and Stadium Roundabout. To have cleaner environment we would do sweeping, silting of drainages, litter control and vegetation control”.

“Friday is World Earth Day with the theme; Investing in our Planet. Sustainability is a key aspect of city management and resilience. We have decided to come up with an initiative to clean up the city. We are looking into bringing back the monthly environmental sanitation without hindering movement maybe between 6am and 8:30am.

“We feel this is necessary because in our communities we have stopped living like our brother’s keeper, we need to foster community relations and neighbourliness. Its absence has caused a build-up of unhygienic. We are looking at legislation to ban plastic in our cities and use more sustainable products. We are looking at creating pedestrian-friendly walkways.

“We are looking at bringing in electric Keke Napep produced here in Nigeria to replace the fuel type. These electric types don’t use fuel, they are covered, with doors to guard against sun and harsh environment. They are of grades, we are going to engage vigorously with the tricycling union to find a balance with the users. We are looking at the producers to see how they can produce pocket friendly.

“A mass transit plan has been developed, we are waiting for the partners to conclude their plan. It would work on schedules with proper bus stops.

‘ We have dedicated routes for them which only the buses can run, no other commercial bus can run the routes. We want to train the yellow and green commercial buses drivers on how to drive the city buses to minimise job loss. We are looking at introducing cycling lane to encourage cycling as is done every where in the world.”