Tamale drivers demonstrate against tricycle "taxis"

President  John Mahama in a tricycle 

Some commercial drivers in the Tamale metropolis Tuesday took to the streets to protest against the use of tricycles popularly known as ‘Mahama Camboo’ as commercial transport in the area.

The drivers, especially taxi operators who wore red bands prevented other taxi drivers who were not taking part in the demonstration from working. They blocked roads with vehicle tyres while others forced passengers out of taxis that were working.

In a petition presented to the Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Muniru Limuna, the drivers urged the minister to stop all activities of the tricycles in the region.

Their spokesperson, Sherriff McCarthy Frimpong said they were specifically against the use of tricycles as commercial transport in the Northern Region. According to them, the use of the tricycle for commercial activities contravened the country’s motor traffic regulations.

They questioned why the tricycles had been left unchecked for commercial activities in the region in recent times and explained that apart from the tricycles being driven by school children, they also did not conform to the motor traffic rules.

“Their (tricycles) operations are literally telling us how our constitution looks so weak and how the structures and laws of the country are no longer working”, he stated.

The drivers accused the operators of the tricycles for not having registration numbers, license, insurance cover, tax and DVLA white paper to cover their tricycles.
“They also engage in over loading.”

According to them, the operators were rather encouraging school dropouts as many students had abandoned classrooms to engage in the operation of the tricycles to make money.

They gave a seven-day ultimatum for the activities of the tricycle to be halted in the region and threatened that if no action was taken “We shall advice ourselves in so many ways, and it may happen that all the revenue we also pay would be stopped”.