Abia postpones planned August 1 restrictions on tricycles, motorcycles

The Abia State Government has again postponed its plans to enforce restrictions on the operations of tricycles (Keke) and motorcycles (Okada) between 7 pm and 6 am starting from August 1, 2024.

A statement signed by Commissioner for Information and Culture, Okey Kanu, said the restrictions have been put on hold, saying that the decision is to allow the implementation of “an alternative solution.”

According to the commissioner: “The decision of the state government to push forward the date for the commencement of the enforcement of the restriction policy underscores the administration’s stance of giving a human face to governance and policy implementation. It further confirms the fact that the people, at all times, are the centrepiece of all government’s policy actions.”

He noted that while the enumeration and registration of all commercial vehicles, tricycles and motorcycles in the transport sector in Abia State continues as scheduled, the government will announce a new date for the formal commencement of the restriction policy in due course.

Meanwhile, many tricycle riders and their motorcycle counterparts have hailed the announcement, saying that it is a wise security decision by the state government as the previous date of commencement of the restriction coincided with the August 1 national protest.

July 1, 2024, was initially chosen by the Abia government for the enforcement of restrictions but the date was shifted to August 1, before the announcement to put it on hold.