Senator Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa
The Senate
National Assembley Complex
Abuja - Nigeria
Dear Distinguished Senator,
Our attention has been drawn to the recent Delta State Government ban placed on motor-cycle usage in all towns, villages and communities in Ika North East Local Govt Area.
Much as it is not our place to dictate policy for the state government, it is our considered opinion that the blanket ban on the entire Ika North East Local Government will portend adverse consequences for the economic life of the people of the local government. As our representative in the National Assembly, we have therefore deemed it necessary to draw your attention to this development and to urge you to use your good offices to prevail on Delta State Government to reverse the order.
For the avoidance of doubt, itemized below are the general complaints of our people in Ika North East Local Government:
1. Motorcycle is the cheapest and most viable means of doing businesses in the LGA
2. The economic main stay of the people of Ika
North East Local Government is mainly farming and petty trading. Thus they rely heavily on the motorcycle to convey their wares.
3. Interior communities and farm lands are accessible only by Motorcycles.
4. Most households in the local government rely mainly on motorcycles
5. The blanket ban on motorcycles usage in the entire LGA is novel to us as it has never been applied elsewhere in the state. As far as we can tell, the current ban on Motorcycle usage in the state is limited to cities and urban centers. We are therefore at a loss to understand the reason for this blanket ban on the whole local government
6. If this ban is allowed to stay, it will stifle and strangulate the economic activities of the people of the LGA and impoverish them further, as majority of the users of Motorcyles in the LGA cannot afford the cost of tricycle popularly called Keke as demanded by the State Government
7. Farm lands and bush paths which the people of the local government hitherto used Motorcycles to ply for their daily bread cannot be accessed by tricycle.
In view of the above, we demand to know:
1. What measures is the state government putting in place to cushion the effects of the ban on the economic life of the people of the area.
2. Considering the poor rural road network in the area and the narrow farm roads and bush paths, which are inaccessible by tricycle, is it reasonably wise to place the ban on Motorcyles (including ladies Motorcycles) in the entire LGA without considering the peculiarities of the entire area?
3. Would it not have been most appropriate to restrict the ban to urban centers as is applicable in other parts of the state?
4. What is the real motive behind this ban? Where you, as the Senator representing Delta North Senatorial Zone, consulted before this ban was placed? If so, what was your advice to the State Government?
We believe that as the elected representative of our people and a key player in the PDP in the state, you are in a better position to advice the state government about the likely consequences of this ban. Hence we have taken time to bring this to your attention. We expect that you would take immediate steps to remedy the situation as this is your immediate constituency. We urge you in the strongest terms to intervene in this matter in the interest of peace in the area.
Signed:
Comrade Akamesike Emmanuel Okonne
Convener/BOT Chairman Anioma Voice Worldwide Comrade El Chiz Geoffrey
National Secretary Anioma Voice Worldwide
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