STAKEHOLDERS FORUM FOR AGENCIES AND OPERATORS OF TRICYCLE IN NIGERIA RELEASES COMMUNIQUE

A one day stakeholder’s forum for agencies and operators of Tricycles in Nigeria organised by the Federal Road Safety Commission has released communiqué.

The forum with membership drawn from the Federal Ministries of Works, Housing and Urban Development, Transport, Environment, Commerce and Industry, Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President and Coordinator, National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the National Automotive Council, Nigeria Customs Service, Automotive Engineers Institute of NSE, Nigeria Institute of Mechanical Engineers, Vehicle Inspection Officers, Manufacturers, Consumer Protection Council, End Users, Importers and the

Federal Road Safety Commission was held on Thursday, 23 rd April at the Sheraton Hotels, Abuja. The forum was formally declared open by the Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the FRSC, Osita Chidoka who also delivered a paper.

The Stakeholders forum was convened with the following objectives;

• To appraise the operators of tricycles in Nigeria and understand constraints faced by the industry, operators and other road users.

• To identify criteria for selection of tricycle – type based on safety, economy and environmental considerations.

• Highlight the need for standards and specifications for tricycle manufacturer’s and marketers in Nigeria.

• The end objectives of the exercise are to emerge the need for a necessary legislative framework, involving the national Assembly which could evolve a possible enactment or relevant laws.

The forum drew participants from government ministries, departments and agencies, the academia, manufacturers, distributors and operators of tricycle in Nigeria.

The forum featured presentations of three well researched papers, discussions, and questions and answer session. It acknowledged the emerging role of tricycles in bridging gaps in intra – urban land transportation in Nigeria an also decried the absence of regulatory framework for operations of tricycles in Nigeria. It also identified some legal, operational, maintenance and environmental challenges to the operations of tricycles in Nigeria and called for proper regulation and standardization of tricycle operations in Nigeria.

At the end of presentations and elaborate discussions, the following resolutions were adopted.

• The forum recognised potentials offered by tricycles as safer alternatives to commercial motorcycles and called on all tiers of government or their agencies to evolve appropriate legal and regulatory framework to standardise operations in Nigeria specifying construction, licensing, certification, and safety requirements.

• Called on manufacturers and importers of tricycles in Nigeria to continuously improve the technical, safety features, and local contents of their products to meet global best practices.

• The Federal Road Safety Commission and the Directorate of Road traffic Services (VIO) in conjunction with the Keke- NAPEP Operators and Riders Association of Nigeria (KORAN) and other similar associations should ensure periodic and mandatory training and orientation for tricycle operators in Nigeria.

• Called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to promote cost reduction of tricycles by encouraging local manufacture and reduction of tariff and import duties on spare parts.

• Called on the Federal Government through its National Poverty Eradication Programme and the manufacturers, to encourage training of mechanics and setting up of standard repair workshops.

• Given boundary overlaps in intra- urban transportation, the forum called on Local Governments in Nigeria to evolve regional advisory committees to resolve variations in laws regulating operations of various means of land transportation including tricycles.

• That a technical committee comprising the Federal Ministries of Works, Housing and Urban Development, Transport, Environment Commerce and Industry, Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the president and Coordinator, Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the National Automotive Council, Nigeria Customs Service, Automotive Engineers Institute of NSE, Nigeria Institute of Mechanical Engineers, vehicle Inspection Officers, Manufacturers, Consumer Protection Council, End Users, Importers and the Federal Road Safety Commission to:

• Develop standards and specifications for tricycles in Nigeria for adherence by importers and manufacturers in compliance with type approval.

• Draw up modalities for the popularization of tricycles over motorcycles.

• Incorporate emission control as an integral part of safety standards.

Considering the success of the meeting, the forum called for the immediate implementation of these recommendations.