01/10/2022
"PRAGYA WAHALA"
In our daily lives, we depend mainly on cars as a means of transportation but imagine how stressful is will be like if there were no cars or the cost of transportation is high such that only few people could afford.
In Cape Coast, the Central Region of Ghana, taxis and trotro were the two main means of transportation until the introduction of 'pragya', a motor vehicle which has passenger capacity of four. Pragya became popular in Cape Coast in 2021. With it's affordability and accessibility, its demand increased.
Business oriented people, both young and invested in the pragya business as its profit margin was huge than that of taxis and trotros and the issue of unemployment in the town declined because most youth especially males joined the 'work and pay' job and others who did petty jobs also did the pragya riding as part-time to earn a living.
After months of operation, numerous reports has hit the desk of the policy department of thefts cases against pragya riders. It is reported that some of the riders rob passengers of their belongings. Due to this, riders have been banned from operating after 6pm and if anyone goes against it, the person will be arrested and prosecuted.
Cape Coast is divided into two constituencies, Cape Coast North and Cape Coast South of which the Cape Coast - Accra highway is the agent that divides it. Due to its busy nature, accident cases in previous years has been on an increase. Initially, when pragya started operating, riders in both Cape Coast North and South could cross to either sides to work but now, they have been banned not to cross the highway to either sides again as a result of several accident cases.
This has become a worry to pragya riders as well as passengers. In an interview with some of the riders, they said the banned that has been placed on them not to work at 6pm has been a major problem because during the day, they're not able to make their expected sales which in the long run, affects their pay and also, most of their customers close from their various work after 6pm.
Kwabena Hagan, a pragya rider stared that " I'm unable to make more money in a week now as compared to the past few months due to the ban. Most times, I park the bike and sleep because I'm unable to make sales and when that happens, the owner of the bike thinks I'm dubbing him which is not the case".
They added that initially they were working at both sides but since the ban was placed, work has not been profitable. the other ban of not crossing the highway, the riders again said, sometimes business doesn't go well in the southern part of Cape Coast because the number of the pragya bikes outweighs that in the northern area.
In an interview with some of the passengers, Auntie Araba Mansa, a trader stated that "the ban placed on pragya riders not to work after 6pm is a worry. I have to pick a taxi home if I'm not able to leave the market before 6pm". Some passeners also stated they find it a challenge because pragya as compared to taxis is more affordable. In some situations, some decides to walk to their destinations than picking taxi.
Thus, the pragya riders are pleading to the authorities to allow them work after 6pm because the economy is getting harder each day and they can hardly make earns meet.
Desmond Lamptey The Smooth Operator
