Clement Nnachi, Abakaliki
No fewer than 200 tricycle operators popularly known as (Keke drivers) on Wednesday barricaded the gate to the Ebonyi State Government House and disrupted vehicular and human movement as they protested the hike in levies.
The protesters alleged that their members were being harassed and intimidated for their inability to pay the N3,400 fee charged by the state Ministry of Works.
The tricycle operators said they were in the Government House to ascertain if the levy was actually imposed on them by the government.
They equally urged the government to intervene in the union’s leadership crisis.
The protest which lasted for more than one hour saw many stranded passengers trekking long distance while others waited for the operators to commence operation.
A spokesperson for the protesters, Mr. Ikpofu Collins, said, “It is regrettable and unfortunate that in most cases, when they impound our tricycle, they take them to their office and when you get there, either the keke would be missing or you won’t see the battery again.
It took the intervention of Senior Special Assistant to Governor David Umahi on Internal Security, Mr. Kenneth Ugbala, to ensure that normalcy returned.
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