Rivers
Nigerians Kick Over Planned Ban On Commercial Motorcycles
Stakeholders have expressed concern over plan by the Federal Government to ban the operation of commercial motorcycles across the country.
They appealed to government to provide alternative means of livelihood to commercial motorcycle operators before banning the use.
The people expressed their concern in separate interviews with The Tide’s source in the South-South.
They said that the ban would cause more hardship to Nigerians, especially those in the rural areas, who depended on motorcycles as the only means of transport due to the deplorable condition of roads.
The respondents urged government to restrict the ban to cities and areas bedeviled by terrorism and banditry.
The source recalls that few weeks ago, the Federal Government announced that it was considering a ban on the use of commercial motorcycles across the country.
Government’s intention was informed by the massive deployment of motorbikes by terrorists, bandits and kidnappers in their criminal activities.
Mr Isreal Promise said in Port Harcourt that government should provide an alternative means of livelihood for commercial motorcyclists before banning the operation.
“We know about the insecurity in the north and other parts of the country. We understand that bandits and terrorists operate more with bikes.
“In most states, robbery and kidnapping in the rural areas are done with bikes and tricycles.
“But if there are other alternative means that government will put in place to help people in moving to their places or business, the ban can be effective,” he said.
He said stopping the use of motorcycles without providing alternative means of livelihood would cause massive unemployment and increase insecurity in the country.
Supporting his stance,a clergy, Paul Achiubo, said “most roads in the rural areas of the country are not motorable, only bikes can be used on such roads.”
Another Port Harcout resident, Mrs Blessing Godwin, called for proper monitoring of motorcycle riders to prevent them from committing crimes with motorcycles.
In Calabar, Mr Gill Nsa, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Cross River Council, said an outright ban on commercial motorcycles in Nigeria might backfire.
Nsa said although there were serious security concerns in the nation aggravated by the increased use of commercial motorcycles, the welfare of the users should also be considered.
“An outright ban will affect ordinary Nigerians who need bikes to enter areas that are not motorable and those that use it as a source of livelihood.
“I have seen people who grew from being commercial motorcyclists to buying their own taxis and commercial buses.
“If government imposes a total ban, many people will be pushed into crime; there must be a balance to this.
“I think the ban should be in the cities, but in the rural areas where people know one another and can easily identify strangers, commercial motorcyclists should be allowed to operate,” he said.
On her part, Mrs Theresa Akpan, a civil servant, said before any ban on commercial motorcycle, there should be an alternative source of livelihood for people in the business.
According to her, government should know that commercial motorcyclists are not the cause of insecurity in Nigeria and fight the root causes.
“Already it is difficult to feed. Many of the riders are educated with degrees but there are no other jobs for them or loans from government to enable them to start other businesses.
“Our roads are bad; there are many communities in this country that you can access with only motorcycles. So government should think critically before effecting any nationwide ban,” she said.
A trader at the popular Marian Market, Calabar, Mr Adam Ekong, said the proposed ban was proper because it would improve security.
He, however, added that it shoud be restricted to areas experiencing insurgency and banditry.
For Mr Osagie Osayande, the Planning Officer in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Council of Edo State, commercial motorcycle riding is the major means of transportation in rural areas.
“The ban will affect movement, especially transportation of farm produce from one location to another. It will also render many commercial motorcyclists jobless and increase crime rate,” he said.
Another respondent, Mrs Jenifer Idemudia of Nigeria Correctional Service, Edo State Command, said motorcycles had generated employment for millions of citizens.
According to her, there are plants in the country where motorcycles are assembled after being imported.
She further said some factories locally manufactured the plastic components of motorcycles, using local rubber from different states, including Edo.
On his part, Mr Felix Azibaola, Chairman, Tricycle Riders Association, Bayelsa State, also said in Yenagoa that government should provide alternative means of livelihood for commercial motorcyclists before the ban.
He said commercial motorcycles gradually gained acceptance as a result of inadequate transport facilities and bad state of roads in the country, especially in the hinterland.
A respondent in Uyo, Mr Patrick Titus, described the intended ban as a bad economic policy, saying that majority of the commercial motorcyclists earned their living from the operation.
Titus added that the proposed ban would not be in the best interest of the people as a many Nigerians used motorcycles as means of transportation.
He said that motorcycle riding for commercial purposes had reduced unemployment in the country.
“If we have people who are using motorcycles for dubious activities, there are still people using them for good economic purposes.
“If government does not have alternative means to convey people in rural areas to their different locations, then the ban will have a very serious economic implications across the country,” he added.
A civil servant in Asaba, Mr. Steve Oboko, said rather than ban commercial motorcycles, government should think of ways to regulate the operators for effecient and secured services.
“If you take look at this ‘okada’ business in our society today, you will agree with me that it is a booming business venture.
“We are talking of a business that has engaged milliions of men – young and old – and provided means of livelihood to many families.
“If you ask me, “okada” operations is not the security problem facing Nigeria. So, why sacrifice the business for nothing?
“So, putting an end to such business will have serious economic and security implications on many families and the society in general,” Oboko said.
Board of the Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP) has expressed its readiness and determination to ensure universal health coverage for all residents of the state.
Chairman of the Board, Professor Chike Princewill, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen shortly after the Board’s inaugural retreat in Port Harcourt.
Chike also said so far over 110,000 have been enrolled into the programme in the state since its commencement last year.
He said the retreat was to inform the people that the Board has hit the ground running.
“The Board has just had their inaugural meeting and retreat, which started yesterday. We are trying to inform the public, those residing in Rivers State, that we have hit the ground running.
“From last year when we commenced until when the Board was officially inaugurated last month, we in this Board have resolved to make sure that the universal health coverage is covered and Rivers people or any body living here can benefit from it”, he said.
The Board Chairman further said a lot have been achieved since last year, adding that, “as we speak to you, over one hundred and ten thousand enrollees have been recorded in Rivers state across the twenty three local government areas with the help of the Executive Secretary and management.”
He said staff of the Board have been sent to all local government areas, stressing that it was part of RIVCHPP’s effort to unbundle secondary health care with the view to making it more effective.
Professor Chike further said with the signing of the universal health coverage Act into law, the agency will expand the scope of its activities to cover everyone living and doing business in the state.
“We are are trying to even unboundle secondary care, and, of course, you know the new Act has been signed involving universal health coverage that every person is involved. So, we also include to expand the scope of the private facilities that were engaged in this health insurance programme.
“We want to assure Rivers people or anybody who live in Port Harcourt or Rivers State that you all will be given the best of facilities.
“We have discussed at length with those who have been given primary assignment in the local government primary health care centres and other facilities that we use for this purpose.
“We have our personnel that we are sending to the local governments as well and all the nooks and crannies of the state to make sure that the necessary things are done”, he said
He stressed the need for people to take their health seriously, saying, “you have to be healthy, you have to be alive to achieve, we believe that with your support it will come to pass. We encourage you to enroll.”
He also stressed the need for people to get their National Identity Numbers (NIN) to enable them benefit from the programme.
“You need your national identification number, so you can be effectively captured”, he stated.
According to him, the National Health Insurance Agency which is partnering with RIVCHPP, is also emphasizing that the NIN is necessary.
“When you register and enroll, we will look for those things so that it can be effectively captured. if you don’t have your NIN, you will be de-enrolled because it is a directive from the National Health Insurance Agency, and because we are working with them, we are expecting all of us to key into this programme.
“Health is key to us. We are ensuring that those who are at the end of our tentacles are also living up to standard”, he stated.
He advised health workers to ensure that when patients and their relatives come to their facilities, they are effectively handled and taken care of, and respecting them as human beings.
“As care givers, this is what we want to let all of us know”, he said.
Professor Princewill also advised all the new local government chairmen to also put their hands on deck to encourage their people to enroll in the programme.
John Bibor & Birane Progress
The Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Prof. Okechukwu Onuchuku, has revealed valuable insights on how scholars can thrive in an AI-driven country.
Speaking at the 40th Conference of English Scholars Association of Nigeria (ESAN), tagged “Advancing the frontiers of Digital Humanities Research in English and Literary Studies”, with the theme, “Teaching English and Literary Studies in Nigeria’s Tertiary Institutions in The Era of AI”, Prof. Onuchukwu said the theme of the Conference provides a roadmap for navgating the challenges and opportunities being presented in AI, and Prepared to impact knowledge on humanity.
In her speech, the Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), Prof. Ibiere Ken-Maduako, said the theme of the Conference is apt, considering the role AI is playing in the country.
Maduako, who’s the Dean, Faculty of Humanities, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, called on participants to use the oppprtunit to contribute towards enhancement of knowledge.
“As I speak, members of the Faculty and the institution’s Management are elated over the successful hosting of the Conference. It was made possible on the support the VC, staff and students accorded us.
Highlights of the conference, which was held in conjunction with the English and Literary Studies Department, included induction of new members, Presentation of papers by scholars from different tertiary institutions in Nigeria that reveales benefits of AI
“I m optimistic that the conference will achieve its set goals. Students are expected to participate actively and leverage on the gains to improve”, She said.
TB-Network, one of the networks working on AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (ATM), has profered a multifaceted approach in the fight against ATM and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Nigeria.
The Rivers State Coordinator of TB-Network, Mr. Messiah F. Muzan, who disclosed this recently in a media parley in Port Harcourt, said one of such approaches is to extend the National Health Insurance programme to the poor and most vulnerable in Nigeria.
“The National Health Insurance programme enjoyed by the formal sector should be extended to other citizens of Nigeria, particularly the poor and most vulnerable “, he said.
He explained that this is because the poor are often less educated and unemployed, and consequently lack the ability to pay out-of-pocket for high costs associated with frequent illnesses.
Muzan listed other approaches to include: funding and finances for Primary Health delivery should be carefully mapped out and sanctioned against any misappropriation or mismanagement, to enable a robust public health programme at all Ward levels in the local government; communication and education programmes can raise knowledge and awareness, and, in turn, improve testing and care-seeking.
“There is a great need to educate, engage, and empower the communities to embrace any behaviour change relevant to achieving success in malaria, HIV, and TB control in Nigeria”, he explained.
Others are: “Every word should commit to health promotion and education programmes to increase awareness of prevention measures; and promote community participation and adherence to evidence-based strategies.
“Commmit adequate resources through advocacy and partnerships, for the full and effective implementation of all planned interventions, including through involvement of the private sector, community participatory approaches.
“Community members should actively support and advocate for their local Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs). Community involvement is crucial in ensuring the sustainability and effectiveness of these centers.
“Additionally, community support can manifest through volunteering, donating resources, or participating in advocacy efforts to secure increased funding and resources for PHCs”, he stated.
The TB-Network boss identified the manifestions of GBV to include domestic abuse, verbal aggression, physical violence, rape, early marriages, incest, Female Genital Cutting (FGC), acid attacks, and outright killing.
He also disclosed that the COVID 19 Response Mechanism/RSSH aimed at intervening in various facets of GBV-related issues being implemented in Rivers State has recorded a lot of successes in general terms, among which is the part directly played by TB-Network.
According to him, “TB-Network in their bid to tackle the menace of GBV, has achieved enormous success through community outreaches to sensitise the communities’ members on the subject matter, the effect and consequences on perpetrators and survivors.
“With the help of our valuable state partners, like the state response team, Ministry of Health, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC), Police, FIDA, National Human Rights Commission, Rivers State Agency for the Control of AIDS (RIVSACA), and Ministry of Justice, we are able to legally fight this ill that is eating into the fabrics of our dear Rivers State.
“Currently, TB-Network is advocating for justice for two survivors of GBV cases in the State.”
Muzan concluded that addressing the issues of ATM and GBV requires robust action: “Strengthening infrastructure, securing financial resources, renewing political leadership, and fostering collaborationa are essential.
“Evidence-based interventions, such as community-led monitoring, should be scaled-up.
“Additionally, innovative services delivery models and technological adaptations are critical to minimise disruptions to routine care.”
Soibi Max-Alalibo
-
Sports3 days ago
CAFCL : Rivers United Arrives DR Congo
-
Sports3 days ago
FIFA rankings: S’Eagles drop Position, remain sixth in Africa
-
Sports3 days ago
NPFL club name Iorfa new GM
-
Sports3 days ago
NNL abolishes playoffs for NPFL promotion
-
Sports3 days ago
Kwara Hopeful To Host Confed Cup in Ilorin
-
Sports3 days ago
NSF: Early preparations begin for 2026 National Sports Festival
-
Sports3 days ago
RSG Award Renovation Work At Yakubu Gowon Stadium
-
Sports3 days ago
RSG Pledges To Develop Baseball