By Nana Sifa Twum
A popular Tricycle known as “Pragya,” is one kind of vehicle widely used in Ghana for the transportation of passengers and goods. It is known in some circles/in some sections of the population, it is known as “Yellow Yellow”, “Mahama Camboo”, or “Adeedeta.” These tricycles have become a common and popular means of transportation, especially where bigger vehicles cannot operate. It was initially patronized by citizens in rural areas, particularly for its easy accessibility, affordability, convenience and sometimes comfort.
Within the cities, for instance, the hop-on and hop-off experience, even though extremely dangerous, provides users and operators quick and convenient services. Today, it is found in large numbers in almost every part of the country, including the urban centres. Research findings indicate that this type of vehicle is not used for commercial activities in many-developed countries, but rather in Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Sri Lanka, The Philippines and India. However, they are prohibited from operating along national highways or any road which allows a maximum speed limit of 40 kilometres per hour.
They are also not allowed to play within busy business districts. Even though it is illegal to operate these vehicles on commercial lines, they do so with impunity, while Metropolitan, Municipal and District assembly authorities, as well as the police, look on unconcerned, making their operation appear legal.
Sadly, officials of these institutions and some police personnel patronize the services of the pragia, without any shame or guilt. They have virtually taken over the streets of Techiman, Mankessim, Ho, Berekum, Kumasi, Nkawkaw, Koforidua, Goaso, Tamale and some parts of the nation’s capital, Accra, making life sometimes unbearable for other road users.
The operations of the tricycles in the urban areas are an eyesore. Extremely ugly to accommodate, but gradually becoming compromisingly, a societal norm. Apart from the ugly scenes they create, it is an absolute nuisance and poses a great danger to pedestrians and motorists alike. Statistics available indicate that almost every day, at least one of these vehicles is involved in one accident or the other. In some cases, causing severe injuries to users. Some of these operators appear unkept and rude and have no regard for the citizens they claim to be serving, traffic rules and regulations and generally cause unnecessary traffic on the road. They also disregard all safety precautions and therefore put the lives of passengers at risk. They have no seatbelts or helmets, which makes it dangerous, when there is an accident. Injuries from tricycle accidents are very alarming. Some of these tricycle riders are reckless, break traffic rules, overload and disregard intersections, as if they are under no regulation, putting people’s lives at risk.
Per the Road Traffic Act, 2004 (Act 683), “A person who drives a motor vehicle on a road without due care and attention, or reasonable consideration for other persons using the road, commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine, not exceeding 2000 penalty units or a term of imprisonment, not exceeding five years or both.” But, what do we rather see of/with these pragia riders? Overloading, wrongful overtaking, disregard for traffic lights and other road traffic regulations and general careless and inconsiderate driving by the operators of these tricycles, undue and unwarranted competition among themselves, coupled with tax avoidance, among other obligations to the state must be addressed.
Are these operators riding on lack of political will and poor supervision or is it just blatant disregard for the laws of the land and the inability on the part of authorities to crack the whip, that has brought about this notorious and unlawful activity all over the country? Much as we all agree to the fact that there is an upsurge in unemployment figures in the country, there is no justification for any politician to allow their activities to continue. Such justification would also call for all unlawful and criminal activities to go on, because people who engage in these activities could justify what they do, because they may be unemployed.
Pragya could be of much importance in certain places of the country, without the nuisance they cause in the urban areas. For example, due to the inadequacy of ambulances and bad roads, in times of emergency, pregnant women in labour in some remote areas, pragia can be and have been of much help to such communities, to reach the hospital for safe delivery and general health care.
All efforts must be employed to halt or control this situation, devoid of partisan and local politics, to address the menace once and for all, before it becomes one of the national cancers, just as the uncontrollable “galamsey.”