Passengers Trek Long Distances in Kano as Tricycle Operators Begin Strike
Passengers were stranded in Kano on Monday following a one-week strike embarked on by tricycle operators.
The development reduced traffic gridlock normally being experienced in the city as a result of high number of tricycles.
Most of the passengers were left with no option other than to either suspend their local travels within the metropolis or trek.
Mallam Abdullahi Ali, a passenger, lamented on the strike, saying it will affect many people because tricycle remained the major means of transport within the metropolis.
He urged the government and the aggrieved parties to resolve the issue amicably.
Nura Yusuf, a parent, said that the strike would also affect students because some parents rely on tricycles to transport their children to schools.
The Secretary, Kano State Transport Associations Forum, Malam Ashiru Sallau, distanced the union from the strike.
“The Union didn’t instruct its members to go for the strike. Some of our members resolved to take the decision, not under our umbrella.
“We sat down and discussed with the government when it introduced some measures regarding our operations. We asked the government to remove some of them to enable our members continue to earn their livelihood.
“It is in the process that some members decided to go for the strike, and not with our mandate. We are seeing what is happening in other states where they banned tricycle operations.
“The strike is the decision of some members who don’t want to be obedient to the rules and regulations,” he said.
The Public Relations Officer, Kano State Road and Transport Agency (KAROTA), Nabulisi Abubakar, said that the tricycle operators were protesting payment of N8,000 permit directed by the state government.
He said that the agency would brief the media on further developments.