Daily Review (Friday): Residents of Kano, tired by worsening gridlock in the city, are calling on Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to reinstate a ban on tricycle operators or curb their movement in a bid to rid the state of traffic jam, air pollution and traffic law violations in the state.
Daily Review reported that the Kano Road Traffic Agency (KAROTA) banned tricycle operators from the metropolitan roads back in November, 2023, but due to absence of option to provide buses as an alternative, the government had to cave in and rescind the ban after outcry.
One resident of Na’ibawa who work in Kofar Gadon Kaya, told Daily Review that he found it difficult to return home everyday during rush hour due to massive traffic jam in around Kofar Dan Agundi, accusing A Daidaita Sahu (Keke Napep) operators of contributing to the gridlock.
“They block our roads and become aggressive to motorists over a small issue. If the government provides solution, Kano would be an attractive destination for investors,” he said.
Most of the people Daily Review Newspaper interviewed also expressed their apprehension about the increase in traffic congestion in metropolitan roads in the country’s most populous city.
“I call on His Excellency Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to, as a matter of urgency, ban Keke Napep in Kano major’s roads in order to pave for the movements of goods and people in the state. As a business man, I lose thousands of naira everyday to the traffic gridlock all caused by Keke Napep operators,” said Adamu Hassan who runs an online business and tries to improves his company’s ability to deliver products to customers as quickly as possible.
Many analysts acknowledge the problem the operators are causing to Kano everyday, but they also point out that the Keke Napep business also supports thousands of jobs in the state.
“Unless the government provides hundreds of buses, which is unlikely for now, banning the tricycle operators would create massive crisis and outrage in the state which is why the government is treading the matter very cautiously,” said Yusuf Kura.
