Drivers of Taxi cab and tricycle, (Keke) in Enugu State have blamed government over the high number of illegal operators in the state.
A cross section of the drivers told DailyPost on Wednesday that with the ban of motorcycles in the state, government should have anticipated high increase in the number of cabs and Keke in the state.
They said it was so heartless of the government to have placed embargo on the registration of cabs and Keke in the state, leaving the operators with no option than to cut corners.
“I was an Okada rider before the government killed our business last year. The same government turned round almost immediately and stopped us from registering our cabs.
“This situation leaves one with the option of dying of hunger or operating illegal cab. So, what most of us did was to find a way of getting a state cab number, whether legally or illegally.
“We pay N25,000 and above to get such illegal number, an amount far above the legal number; I’m saying this for people to know that government is responsible for this illegality”, said one of the cab operators.
DailyPost investigation in the state showed that the sour relationship between the officials of the Enugu State Ministry of Transport and the operators is another major reason behind this illegality in the state.
A source allegedly said that the rift between the two bodies worsened recently when the state commissioner for transport, Mr. Chuka Utazi allegedly slapped a cab operator for daring to counter his speech during a meeting. Meanwhile, Mr. Chukwudi Achife, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Sullivan Chime had while giving reason for the embargo on cab registration said it was to enable government make adequate planning.
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