Orji Warns Keke Operators Against Kidnapping

Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State has warned operators of tricycles in the state not to allow criminal elements, especially, kidnappers to penetrate their transport business.

Orji gave the warning at the Government House, Umuahia when the zonal executives of the Amalgamated Tricycle Operators Association (ASATOA) from Aba and Umuahia paid him a courtesy visit.

It would be recalled that the governor banned commercial motorcycle operators in May last year from plying major routes in the cities of many local governments in the state following the frequent use of motorcycles in kidnapping operations.

The ban of commercial motorcycles popularly known as Okada paved the way for the introduction of Tricycle also popularly known as Keke in the state.

With the ban on Okada, the incidence of kidnapping dropped drastically and Orji warned that he would not tolerate any form of transport that would encourage the nefarious kidnapping business. He, therefore, charged ASATOA to ensure that their members were not criminals and should not indulge in the act of kidnapping.

He said though the decision to ban Okada was tough, Keke operators were now reaping the numerous advantages of Keke transport business. He listed these advantages to include less accidents, more income for the operators, greater comfort and protection of operators from the vagaries of nature, among others, adding that Keke operators dress well as opposed to when they were riding Okada.

He enjoined the group to ensure that their members continued to observe the ban on Okada, assuring them that his administration would always embark on policies and programmes for their benefit. “We also build roads to expand your business opportunities and prolong the life of your machines,” the governor said. He expressed the hope that members of ASATOA would graduate from Keke to other better forms of transport business.

He commended the group for the award they gave to him, urging them to guard against internal strife.

In their address read by the Umuahia zonal chairman of ASATOA, Mr Okechukwu Ijebuonwu, the group commended the governor for his development strides, assuring him of their support during 2011 governorship contest. Ijebuonwu said ASATOA has contributed N5 million in revenue to government coffers in a month with the payment of necessary levies and was currently registering members with a view to issuing them with identification numbers. They, however, reported another group of tricycle operators known as Keke Napep Owners Welfare Association (KNOWA) to the governor, alleging that their activities were inimical to interest of the state government.

ASATOA requested government to provide them with two buses and a secretariat and order KNOWA to join its own group, among others.