Delta Commissions 114 Tricycles

Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, has commissioned one hundred and fourteen “KEKE NAPEP” tricycles to boost transportation system in the state.

Speaking during the commissioning, Dr. Uduaghan explained that the tricycle formed the first batch designed to empower Deltans and improve their living standard.

His words, “Please do not go and sell this tricycle, it is given to you as beneficiaries to empower yourselves and make money to buy more of the tricycle in subsequent schemes.”

The governor further stated that the state micro credit scheme would be strengthened to empower more Deltans this year, just as he urged beneficiaries of KEKE NAPEP to use the tricycles for the purpose they were given.

“It is an empowerment programme and not meant for other sundry things”.

‘Please it is to carry passengers and generate money to buy more,’ Governor Uduaghan added. The governor said the KEKE NAPEP is an advance form of motorcycle introduced to solve some of the problems associated with motorcycle, adding that less than 20 per cent of Deltans use the safety helmet and a lot of people lose their lives through motorcycle accident.

Explaining further, he said, “Federal government introduced safety helmet to safe guard lives and called on FRSC and the Police to enforce this law in the state, stressing that less than 20 per cent motorcycle riders use safety helmet and lots of lives have been lost in Okada accident.”

While thanking the Federal Government for initiating the KEKE NAPEP scheme, Dr. Uduaghan said a Delta name will be proposed to replace ‘KEKE’ which he said did not relate to any language in the state.

Earlier, the State Coordinator of the National Poverty Eradication Programme, Mr.Austin Igbine, said the Keke scheme is designed to provide affordable comfortable commercial transportation means for the people.

Mr. Igbine explained that the tricycles will be used within the confines of urban areas to reduce the risk of accidents, adding that ‘just like any other poverty reduction scheme embarked upon by NAPEP, this scheme is also aimed at breaking the inter-generational transfer of poverty through investment in human capital and creation of job opportunities.