The use of a popular tricycle known as “Pragya” is one kind of vehicle widely used in Ghana for the transportation of goods and passengers. It is known in some circles as “Yellow Yellow”, Mahama Camboo”, or “Adeedeta”.
These tricycles have become a common and popular means of transportation especially where bigger vehicles cannot operate.
As for the motorcycles used for commercial purposes, the least said about it, the better. It has been one notorious means of criminal activity in Ghana.
It was initially patronised by citizens in rural areas, particularly for its easy accessibility, affordability, convenience and sometimes comfort.
Even though it is illegal, these vehicles undoubtedly provide an alternative mode of transportation, especially in rural areas that are difficult to traverse because of their terrain and remote locations. This is seen as assisting the rural folks in terms of transport.
In urban areas, its preference is primarily due to the heavy traffic congestion that unduly prolongs travel time and hinders the mobility of commuters, goods, and services.
Within the cities, for instance, the hop-on and hop-off experience even though extremely dangerous provides users and operators with 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 much-developed countries, they are rather found 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 ply 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 Authorities as well as the police look unconcerned about making the operation appear legal. Sadly, officials of these institutions and some police personnel patronise the services of the pragia without any shame or guilt.
They have virtually taken over the streets of Techiman, Mankesim, Ho, Berekum, Kumasi, Nkawkaw, Koforidua, Goaso, Tamale and even Accra among many others, 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 it is 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 indicate that almost every day at least one of these vehicles is involved in one accident. In some cases, causing severe injuries.
Some of these operators appear dirty and rude and have no regard for the citizens they claim to be serving.
They disregard all safety precautions and therefore put the lives of passengers at at risk. There are no seat belts and helmets, making it dangerous when there is an accident. Injuries sustained from accidents with tricycles are very alarming. Tricycle riders are reckless, break traffic rules, overload and disregard intersections as if they were not regulated putting people’s lives at risk.
As 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.”
In Ghana, the driving limit is not less than 18 years old. You cannot drive if you are under the age of 18. A survey conducted in Kumasi and Koforidua, for the purposes of this article, revealed that over 45 per cent of the operators are below the mandatory 18 years which allows one to legally drive. The laws of the land say that if a person is found to be driving without a valid licence or was underage, he or she has to be arrested, prosecuted, and fined 10 penalty units, which is equivalent to GH¢120, that is if nothing happens.”
Rather what do we see of these pragya riders? Overloading, wrong overtaking, disregard for traffic lights and other road traffic regulations, and general careless and inconsiderate driving by the operators of these tricycles on commercial bases, emanating from undue and unwarranted competition among themselves coupled with tax avoidance among other obligations to the state must be addressed.
Lack of political will, poor supervision, a blatant disregard for the laws of the land and the inability of the part of authorities to crack the whip have seen this notorious and unlawful activity springing up 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 stand up for its continuation. Such justification would also call for all unlawful and criminal activities to go on because such people who engage in these activities could justify what they do because they may be unemployed.
Should all who engaged in unlawful trading and other business activities come up boldly as these pragya operators demand their continued operations because they are unemployed? This thing must stop in Ghana. It is certain times unbelievable when people gather themselves demanding from government and local authorities, for that matter, new places to trade before they quit from the pavement.
Who assigned that place to them? If care is not taken, one day the nation will wake up to traders who have displayed their wares at the Accra Sports Stadium or in front of the Jubilee House and demand that they are given a place to trade their wares. For how long can we as a nation continue to tolerate these nuisances?
Anarchy, commotion, and disorder prevail prominently where there are no laws or laws are not enforced. In Ghana, there are too many laws than perhaps what we need. The problem is enforcement. Indiscipline has deeply and sharply permeated through the entire fabric of the society and indiscipline appears like a norm in the country.
A country that is arduously seeking to make its capital city the cleanest in Africa and allowing these to happen with impunity. We have forgotten that these too can drive away tourists and investors as these thrive chiefly on orderliness and sound security.
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, they have can be of much help to such communities to reach the hospital to be able to give birth safely.
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 as the uncontrollable “galamsey” which has been an albatross on the neck of Ghana.
BY NANA SIFA TWUM (PHD)