Enugu State Government has dissolved all task forces of commercial tricycles, popularly known as Keke, in the state till further notice.
According to The PUNCH, the Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Transport, Mr. Ogbonna Idike, announced this on Saturday in Enugu after a meeting with the executives and members of the commercial tricycle union.
The meeting was invoked by the ministry on the sidelines of the peaceful protest held by some members of the tricycle union on Friday over harassment and extortion by tricycle taskforce members operating within the Enugu metropolis.
The permanent secretary said “Henceforth, the state government, through the ministry, will streamline and sanction all transport union task forces to conform to best practices and standards as well as ensure that hoodlums and thugs do not hijack such exercises.
“First, the union must apply and get the approval of the ministry; while those to carry out the task force duty will be well known and well profiled with numbered reflective aprons, identification cards and they must be properly dressed.
“All taskforce members must be duly trained by the ministry on how to carry out their duties in the most courteous manner that will not disturb public peace but attract commendation due to discipline and professionalism in carrying out such duties.
“The ministry will also clearly specify what an offence is and the attendant fine and penalty of such an offence. It will not be arbitrary or outright extortion again,” he said.
