Tricycle operators in Owerri, Imo State have appealed to the State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, to extend the September 30 deadline he issued for the ban of their operation within the state capital, citing unbearable economic hardship in the state.

The group in a letter to the Governor, signed by Comrade Okorie Chimezie (SECTMA): Comr. Victor Ajukwara (TOWAN); and Comr. Samuel Dikeocha (SECTMA), stated that “We the members of Association of Aggrieved Motor Tricycle or Keke Vehicle Operators (AATO), in Owerri, deem it expedient to appeal to your Excellency once more for a review of your latest ultimatum banning the operation of motor tricycle (Keke) on the streets of Owerri with effect from the 30th of September, 2017.

“If your Excellency does not mind, we hereby crave your indulgence to state the reasons for this passionate and special appeal, as follows, which we hope will guide your further decisions on the matter:

“More than 78% of tricycle (Keke) operators especially those within Owerri Municipal Council are on hire purchase. The bonafide or original owners and the operators are already midway into the realisation of their various Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) in order to operate the contractual motor tricycles (Keke) for a given period of time within which pay they will up the agreed amount involved in the transaction. If motor tricycle (Keke) are banned automatically and out-rightly as pronounced by Your Excellency at the end of September 2017,most of us would lose the tricycle to the original owners for failure to meet up with the agreed or schedule time frame or period of time of repayment.

“Your Excellency would be the last person to elicit a reprehensible condition that would not give us adequate time to take total possession of the more tricycles that we have obtained under higher purchase arrangement and conditions.

“Against this backdrop, Sir, we plead for an extensive of time of a period of not less than three months to enable us satisfy the prevailing conditions and retain our various motor tricycles even if we have to move away from Owerri, thereafter.

“There is no gain saying the fact that most of our members were adversely affected by the recent demolition of Eke-Ukwu Market in Owerri. Not only were our wives’ and parents’ wares and stalls devastated, they have not been able to secure alternative shade (shops) as a result of the unaffordable amount demanded at the Egbeada International market being built by Your Excellency. On this ground also, we most humbly and respectfully plead with His Excellency to graciously grant us an extension of time to recover from this sudden displacement and unsettling situation.

“Granted that schools, colleges, universities, etc., will reopen in a fortnight for the 2017/2018 academic session, we as parents and guardians are mandatorily expected to pay school fees and provide for the accommodation, transportation, maintenance of our students in the various colleges and Universities across the country. In addition, we will be required to purchase books, new school uniforms, sandals and other essentials for those in the primary, nursery and secondary schools. At the prevalent cost of living, ordinary feeding is very expensive: not to think of saving for the education of our children and wards. It is therefore from the daily earnings of our tricycle operations and daily market sales that we fend for our children at schools. Any attempt therefore, at relieving us of the only option and source of existence and those of our immediate dependants would be suicidal. His Excellency would not wish to jeopardise the future of our children and posterity

“Your Excellency is already aware that tricycle operation (Keke riding) has drastically reduced the rising rate of graduate unemployment and crimes in Imo State and Owerri Capital in particular. Imo commercial city provides the most attractive opportunity for the business to thrive. An immediate termination of the business will further compound the chaotic and entropic unemployment and crime rates which your Excellency has strenuously tried to curb in the last six years. Since no one would want to spite his face by cutting his long nose, we plead most sincerely with Your Excellency to consider the evils associated with banning tricycle operation on Owerri streets and roads, and reconsider this order, proposal and policy of government for at least the next three months, to allow for proper adjustments and cushioning.

“Not only will unemployment hit the University graduates who presently derive succour in Keke riding; the importers of Keke and its accessories, the dealers on spare parts, who probably must have committed so much money in restocking their shops with such goods and services will be adversely affected. Hence going ahead with the ban, Your Excellency, will be counterproductive. This therefore explains why we seek for the grace of at least three extra months to enable these categories of business men and women to diversify and reduce their stocks. Doing other wise, your Excellency, will lead to several avoidable untimely deaths through suicides, hunger and poverty.

“Importers of motor tricycles into the state need to be given some time so as to clear their latest orders and stop forthwith.

“Above all, your Excellency, Motor-tricycle operators in Owerri alone are more than 50,000 in number, while the Nnamdi Okorie’s newly procured township taxes are barely 300. Those who might successfully benefit from the three hundred Passat cars are most likely to be the regular taxi drivers and others who will use their close contacts with top Government officials to appropriate some of the vehicles such that at the end of the day, only about 200 of us will be favoured leaving out more than 49,800 others into the unemployment market.

“Our hope expectations and with the urban renewal project of your administration was that with dualised and expanded roads in place among major streets in Owerri, there will be more than enough rooms and spaces for both motor tricycles and township taxis to complete favourable for the teeming and ever growing passengers or commuters. It will not be kind or fair for Your Excellency, to use the untenable excuse of the road congestion to force motor tricycle operators out of the road and streets of Owerri Municipal Council now that the urban renewal project has provided enough spaces and equal opportunities for all transporters to thrive and possibly excel in their chosen endeavours.

“Having said this much, our dear Governor, and Senior Advocate of the Masses (SAM),we the Aggrieved Tricycle Operators in Owerri are very optimistic that your prompt consideration of these requests will go a long way to save the imminent tension-soaked and explosive situation in Imo State. This is counting on your continued magnanimity and milk of human kindness, especially when it is realised that 90% of mechanics and their apprentices who were recently displaced from Orji Mechanic Villages have resorted to Keke riding and are yet to fulfil their hire purchase agreements or MOU. It will interest you to know that, already, your opponents, in the PDP and other parties who saw us as a stumbling block by virtue of our resolute support for your re-election in 2015, have resorted to making caricatures and fools of all of us. It is inconceivable Sir, that we should be the ones to be so derided and the heat put on us.

“We are still supportive of the Rescue Mission Administration which we championed with everything we had. Since we cannot object to your policy to ban the motorcyclists from the capital city, please graciously grant us this extension of time for now.

“This is commending you for your usual benevolence, magnanimity and special consideration.”

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