Abuja – Tricycle Owners’ Association in the FCT on Monday, appealed to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to extend their routes of operations beyond estates in the territory.
Mr Musa Ibrahim, Chairman of the association told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), that operating only in estates was not favourable , as the ban on plying the expressways and satellite towns was affecting operations.
Ibrahim said that the association had more than 10,000 members operating in the FCT alone; so it was becoming difficult to make ends meet, as they could not extend their boundary of operation.
“It is not as if you will not see members operating on some roads, but according to the FCTA rule, it is illegal to ply such routes.
“Those doing it, do so at their own peril, as they stand the risk of having their tricycle impounded.
“So my appeal to FCTA is to please extend our area of operation, so we can work effectively as our numbers have grown beyond just estate operation,”he said.
Ibrahim said the association had made its complaint known to FCTA, but the ban from operating within 250 square kilometres of the city was still being maintained.
He however said that the FCTA had insisted that the Abuja Master Plan did not make provision their operation.
He said there was no need to complain before now, as membership of the association was less; but now it has increased due to the economic situation because people were creating jobs for themselves.
He said at first operators were told that commercial tricycle owners must form an associations for easy identification and control, particularly with the prevailing security situation in the country.
“We adhered to that rule but we are still surprised that the ban has not been lifted,” he said.
He appealed to the authorities for a review, while assuring the FCTA of the association’s cooperation in obeying traffic rules and regulations.
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