Tricycle, popularly known as Keke Napep, is one of the means of transportations in Lagos state. In fact, it is the most preferred means of transportation in some areas. Many commuters prefer it to commercial buses because it is not only faster during rush hours when there is traffic gridlock, it also drops passengers closer to their destinations.
Today, operators of the transport mode have
several battles to fight. Apart from the Lagos state government restricting them from operating on the highways and the Lagos state secretariat in Alausa, they are also faced with the issue of multiple levies imposed on them by transport unions and councils.
Investigation by Blueprint in Lagos metropolis revealed that Keke riders pay a total amount of N1,200 or N1,300 to the unions on daily basis before they are allowed to operate within any particular locality.
Blueprint
investigation also revealed that though N100 was printed on all the tickets issued to the operators, they paid as much as N1,300 depending on the union they are paying to.
Some of the Keke riders who expressed dissatisfaction over the multiple levies said that it was affecting their business badly.
One of such aggrieved riders, Mr Ifeanyi Okolo, who operates in the Oregun/ Ikeja axis said the multiple levies were frustrating for him and many of his colleagues.
He said for one to operate within Ikeja, they must register with N1,200 on daily basis and the union would issue about three-four tickets depending on the number of tickets available at the moment.
According to him, “we register with N1,200 for all the tickets, but you are only expected to operate within a particular local government. For you to drop passengers in another local council you have to buy their ticket again and once you carry a passenger to another area council, you will be arrested and you will pay more”.
He explained that in a situation whereby a keke operator misplaced his ticket before the close of business for the day, the person would pay a minimum of N3,500 to the council if he was caught.
He lamented that “life is becoming very difficult for Keke operators in Lagos. We pay multiple levies to both transport unions and councils. For those of us who are not the owners of the tricycle we are riding, we are expected to pay N10,000 to N12,000 and N15,000 to N16,000 to the owners weekly depending on the owner.
“We buy fuel, maintain our tricycles and feed our families. It has not been easy for us but we don’t have any option. If you fail to pay that money they will beat you up and seize your tricycle.”
Another Keke operator, who simply gave his name as Mr. Wale, said the total amount of money collected by transport unions and councils daily was supposed to permit the riders to operate legally in all the area councils.
“The issue of multiple levies, coupled with the embarrassment and humiliation faced by us in the hands of the officials and touts, has become too much for us to bear,” he complained.
He said that most of the riders bought the tickets and registered reluctantly to avoid confrontation with agents of unions and government.
“We are not paying that money to the union and council just because everything is okay for us but we don’t want anything that will affect our daily earnings. If you fail to operate for two hours a day, you have lost a lot of money which you will never recover again. So the best option is to pay and go your way,” he said.
Mr. Kola Adebola, who is operating within Oshodi said that apart from levies paid to the council and union, the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) is another group that makes life very difficult for the riders.
“LASTMA will just to come to the garage, carry our Keke without any reason. On getting to their office you are expected to pay a minimum of N5,500 and demurrage if the tricycle spends more than a day in their premises. All these affect the growth of our business,” he complained.
However, the Chairman of the Tricycle Union, Ikosi Chapter under Onigbogbo Local Council, Mr Ismaila Rasaki, said the essence of restricting their operations was to ensure that the union monitored their daily activities.
He said that the tricycles plying Ikosi route under Onigbogbo Local Council pay a levy of N800 per day for four tickets –belonging to the National Union, Ikeja/Onigbongbo Local Council and Three Wheeler Association.
He said that anyone that operated outside the specified routes would be asked to pay for another ticket by that local council.
“The total amount of money paid for all the tickets issued by union and council under our locality is N800. But you can pay as high as N1300 per day if you choose to operate in other routes like Oshodi, Ojodu Berger, Maryland.”Once you are not registered under a union in a particular local government, you are expected to buy their ticket before you pick or drop passengers,” he added.
He said it was difficult for one to ply any route daily without buying a ticket, noting that anyone that lost or misplaced his ticket before 4 pm was expected to pay more if caught by the council.
Another official of the union who pleaded anonymity said there was need for the government to look into the multiple levies paid daily by transporters.
The official, who called for harmonisation of levies, said tricycle operators were not supposed to buy two tickets to do business within Ikeja and Oregun axis.
In his opinion, “If a person pays for ticket in one area council in a day, it is enough for him to operate in all the other area councils instead of multiplying the taxes and subjecting them to unnecessary pain.”
Admitting that the levies being collected in the area councils “are a source of revenue,” he said too much charges would impact negatively on the standard of living of operators and even encourage them to do other illegal business to meet their daily needs.
Though the keke operators have been complaining that no one in position of authority seems to be listening and their burden is mounting by the day.
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