Sha’aban criticizes Kano govt restriction of tricycles operation without adequate stakeholders engagement

By solacebase.com On Nov 30, 2022

Sha'aban Ibrahim Sharada, Kano , election, — ADP Governorship Candidate, Sha'aban Ibrahim Sharada

By Baba Aminu

The Gubernatorial Candidate of Kano state’s major opposition party, Action Democratic Party (ADP), and a member of the House of Representatives Municipal Federal Constituency, Sha’aban Ibrahim Sharada has criticized the immediate ban of tricycle operators on the state’s major roads by the Kano state government.

SOLACEBASE reports that Kano State Government movement restriction of tricycle operations on some major roads in the metropolis commenced today, November, 30^th.

The government said in a statement on the ban that the idea was to introduce buses and taxis it purchased to improve mobility within the town.

Sha’aban Ibrahim Sharada lamented this in a statement made available to newsmen by Gubernatorial Campaign Council Spokesperson Abbas Yushau Yusuf in Kano, on Wednesday.

The statement said at a time when the government is supposed to come up with an idea of addressing youth restiveness and diverting their attention from committing crime and drug abuse in Nigeria’s most populous state, but rather it has decided to choose the path of persecution.

‘’Honorable Sharada, who is the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Intelligence and National Security, sympathized with commuters and tricycle operators over the hardships being inflicted on them by the government,‘’ the statement said.

‘’He said though the transportation system in Kano is in urgent need of a total overhaul, the manner in which the current administration is going about it signals an absolute disregard for the livelihood and welfare of the good people of the State.‘’

“This measure will subject pregnant women, schoolchildren, and hardworking citizens to unwarranted trekking, leading to the loss of productivity or even lives.”

“In addition, it will retard the economic well-being of the tricycle owners, operators, repairers, oil and spare part merchants, as well as the millions of Kano people who eke out a living from the operation of the tricycles,” the statement added.

According to the statement, the ADP gubernatorial candidate blamed Kano state government for pursuing policies that forced the populace to rely on tricycles in the first place.

“Such policies include the deliberate disregard for metropolitan roads as well as the uncontrolled allocation of parking spaces that makes car owners prefer the tricycles over their own vehicles.”

‘’He said the government should have brought out a plan that will alleviate the sufferings of commuters and engage the tricycle value chain in economic activities that will replace their lost earnings.‘’

‘’Hon. Sha’aban Sharada calls on Kano residents to vote for the ADP in the forthcoming election in order to usher in a government that will carry stakeholders along in each and every decision.‘’

“We in the ADP have an integrated transport management plan for Kano State, which will be presented to all stakeholders for their consideration and review.”

“We will also ensure that all stakeholders are engaged in the successful execution of all the policies of our government.” He added. Honourable Sha’aban Ibrahim Sharada further asked the state government some pressing questions regarding the ban.

According to him, despite government claims of bringing in new buses, what has the government done to cushion the effect of restricting tricycle riders on every Road? And again, the government did not tell us the number of buses to be used on every Road or where they are going to stop after picking people?

Sharada said there is also a special lane for mass transit operators in developed countries when they pick up and drop off passengers, noting that how many bus stops has the Kano government constructed for that purpose?

‘’Will the buses meet the demands of the passengers as obtained in countries where they use mass transit, hence his description of the policy as “untimely”?’’

‘’Honorable Sha’aban Sharada said the government came up with the policy without proper stakeholder engagement and public enlightenment, thereby restricting the tricycle operators at this material time.‘’