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The Bono RCC, about couple of weeks ago, placed a ban on the use of tricycle for fare-paying passengers as a step for the adherence to the measures and observation of protocols by the government and health authorities to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the region and country in general.

The country has so far recorded 1,550 confirmed cases of the COVID-19, with 11 deaths and 155 recoveries with the Bono Region yet to record a confirmed case.

Though the ban has been lifted, mandatorily, a tricycle can pick two passengers at a time while both rider and the passenger must strictly observe all the necessary protocols and measures against the spread of the disease.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Dormaa-Ahenkro, Mr Samuel Yeboah, a Public Relations Officer of Tricycle Owners and Riders Association of Ghana, in charge of Dormaa Municipal, Dormaa East and West Districts, said the Association had set up a taskforce to monitor and ensure strict enforcement of the directives by the riders.

“Members of the task force who are also riders will be policing to stop any rider caught flouting any of the protocols,” Mr Yeboah said.

“The task force will confiscate the keys of the rider, alert the executives of the Association, the Motor Traffic and Transport Department and the owner of the tricycle before the necessary sanction is applied to prevent any future breach of the protocols,” he said.

Mr Yeboah said they were determined to enforce all measures, protocols, rules and regulations to the letter among its members to assist government to fight the COVID-19.

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She said the region was determined to ensure the populace complied with social distancing protocols to stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19).

Mrs Kumi-Richardson said despite the economic value on the use of tricycle for commercial purposes, the ban on the use of it was to protect the people, possibly from contracting the virus, and advised users and owners to comply accordingly.

Mrs Kumi-Richardson said this when she presented food items worth thousands of Ghana cedis to the Bono Regional executives of the Motorcycle Owners and Tricycle Riders Association at a short ceremony in Sunyani.

The items comprising bags of rice, sugar, boxes of sardines, quantities of cooking oils and boxes of tomato paste, are to be distributed solely among the tricycle riders in the region.

Mrs Kumi-Richardson admitted the ban on the use of the machines had affected the economic livelihoods of the tricycle riders, hence the need to support them with food items.

“We understand what you are going through, but we don’t have any other option than to temporary stop the use of the machines in order to protect you as riders and passengers from contracting the virus.

“I am assuring you we will consider the possibility of lifting the ban as and when necessary. Until then I expect everybody to comply with the ban because we will not spare anybody who flouts the ban,” she said.

Alhaji Issaka Ibrahim, the Bono Regional Chairman of the Association thanked the Bono Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) and the government for the items, and advised members of the association to comply with the ban.

He said the Association had petitioned the RCC, and appealed to the Regional Minister to expedite action to address the concerns of the Association.

Alhaji Ibrahim said the food items would be distributed to the targeted people, saying the ban had worsened the socio-economic situation of the riders and some owners as they depended on the machines to fend for themselves and their families.