The federal government has concluded plans to introduce solar-powered tricycles and motorcycles to ameliorate the fuel challenges faced the operators of the machines in the course of their business.
The minister of transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi who disclosed during the swearing-in of newly elected executives of the Amalgamated Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners, Repairs and Riders Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN) in Abuja said the proposal was already captured in the 2019 budget.
The minister who was represented at the event by director of road transport and mass transit administration in the ministry, Dr Anthonia Ekpa, said solar-powered cycles are environment-friendly.
“What we have done is to ensure that we introduce into the Nigeria environment, solar-powered tricycles, we are going to introduce into the sector tricycles that will not need to use fuel.
“I want to use this opportunity to also say that we have put it in the 2018 budget to be implemented in 2019 because in the 2018 budget we have what we called green transportation, which under it we have the solar-powered tricycles.
“We also have in the 2018 budget what we called amphibious vehicles, which is going to be in form of a tricycle which can be used on water and on land. For those of you in the riverine areas, we hope to purchase that in 2019.”
He urged the new ACOMORAN officials to ensure their members obey all traffic laws stressing that road transport remains the most critical and accessible form of mobility to all Nigerians.
In his remarks, the new national president of ACOMORAN Alhaji Samsudeen Apelogun, promised to run an all-inclusive government as he mounts the saddle of the association.
“As we mount the leadership of this great association and also in line with world best practices, we will rebrand the association and run an all-inclusive government by giving every member a sense of belonging and made their welfare the priority of the association as part of our four-point agenda,” he assured.
In his remarks, the chairman of senate committee on land transport, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, advised members of the association to collaborate with the new executive members.
He also enjoined the new executive to work for the betterment of the association.
