As part of efforts to cushion the effects of the abolition of comercial motorcyclists otherwise known as ‘Achaba’, in the state, governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state on Wednesday distributed 345 tricycles (KEKE NAPEPS) to achaba riders association.
Speaking during the distribution exercise, the governor explained that the state government is procuring 1, 000 KEKE NAPEPS saying the 345 shared is the first batch and that the remaining would be distributed before the end of the year.
According to him, N250 million was earmarked for the procurement noting that beneficiaries are to pay for the tricycles within a period of two years by making instalmental payment of N1, 000 each on daily basis.
Bala added that under the program tagged ‘Kaura economic empowerment scheme’ another N250 million was equally set aside for the purchase of VECTRA and SHARON cars for distribution to commercial drivers as loans.
He said the gesture is meant to ease transportation of people, goods and services to and from the state as well as providing jobs to the electorates.
The governor clarified that the ban on achaba was not aimed at inflicting hardship on people but curtailing the spread of coronavirus.
In his speech, the state commissioner of cooperatives and poverty alleviation Usman Muhammed Saleh urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the vehicles and reciprocate the gesture through prompt payment.
He also asked them to make their fares affordable to the poor so that the objective of the scheme would not be defeated.
