As part of its plan for a clean environment for Kaduna city and prevent incessant flooding, Kaduna Capital Territory Authority (KCTA) has disclosed plan to introduce electric tricycle otherwise known as Keke NAPEP to the Kaduna metropolis and ban plastic containers.
The Authority also said it is planning to bring back the monthly environmental sanitation, while the state government is set to dredge the River Kaduna and its tributaries to stem flood and ease flow of water as the rainy season begins.
Briefing journalists in Kaduna as part of activities marking the World Earth Day on Friday, KCTA Administrator, Hafiz Bayero, said the body will mark the day with environmental sanitation at various points within the metropolis.
According to him, “The sanitation will take place at Command Junction, Karji, Kawo, Rigasa and Stadium Roundabout. To have cleaner environment, we would do sweeping, silting of drainages, litter control and vegetation control”.
Hafiz told reporters that this year’s World Earth Day theme is, Investing in our Planet. He said, “Sustainability is a key aspect of city management and resilience. We have decided to come up with an initiative to clean up the city. We are looking into bringing back the monthly environmental sanitation without hindering movement, maybe between 6am and 8:30am.
“We feel this is necessary because in our communities, we have stopped living like our brother’s keeper. We need to foster community relations and neighbourliness. Its absence has caused build-up of unhygiene. We are looking at legislation to ban plastic in our cities and use more sustainable products. We are looking at creating pedestrian friendly walkways.
“We are looking at bringing in electric Keke NAPEP produced here in Nigeria to replace the fuel type. These electric types don’t use fuel; they are covered, with doors to guard against sun and harsh environment. They are of grades. We are going to engage vigorously with the tricycle union to find a balance with the users. We are looking at the producers to see how they can produce pocket friendly.
“A mass transit plan has been developed; we are waiting for the partners to conclude their plan. It would work on schedules, with proper bus stops. We have dedicated routes for them which only the buses can run; no other commercial bus can run the routes.”
Bayero said the government is also looking to introducing cycling lane to encourage cycling.
