By: Aruna Kamara (BO)
The Public Relations Officer of the Bike Riders Union in Bo, Mohamed Ansumana has accused the Tippa Drivers in Bo of over speeding leading to a road accident, which sometimes claims the lives of their members.
Speaking to A-Z Newspaper in Bo, Ansumana said that “I am not saying that our members are not in the habit of over speeding but the ‘Tippa’ drivers are doing it at the detriment of our members on the road.
According to him, the reckless driving of a tippa loaded with sand last week, which was at terrific speed tried to navigate the curve at the Clock Tower in Bo, ran out of control and hit a BECE student who died instantly.
Mr. Ansumana said that the accident happened in the presence of BRU officers in Bo, and they claimed that the driver was under the influence of alcohol, noting that this is a justification for the fact that Pippa drivers in Bo are lawless.
He said that they have engaged the executive of the Tippa’s Union in Bo to caution their members to be careful, especially when approaching the roundabout.
Mr Ansumana went on to say that the tippa drivers are killing their members with impunity because the riders are riding without a licence, adding that “the Union has ensured that most of the riders obtained the relevant documents for their bikes so that they will not conflict with the law
He disclosed that they have distributed about seven hundred and fifty licences at the park level free of cost to riders in Bo, and this is helping in complementing the effort of the government in the area of job creation in the country.
“Most of the bike riders are University or college graduates due to unemployment, so they decided to go into bike riding. Some youths go into bike riding because they want to raise money to support themselves at University or their family, adding that “I want to dismiss the opinion of people that bike riding is meant for dropouts”.
He assured their members that the executive of the Bike Riders Union in Bo is committed to seeking their welfare and they should ensure that they ride within the ambit of the law.
However, some tippa drivers in Bo reacted to the allegation of killing bike riders in Bo, saying that “the statement is erroneous calculated to smear the tippa drivers.”
According to Julius Kutu, it is not out of their making to involve in an accident and that mechanical failure may be responsible.
“The bike riders are in habit of overtaking us. They ride at a terrific speed and they are failing to realise that we are carrying a heavy load of sand. When we hit is dangerous, let alone the riders hit us,” Kutu said.
He pleaded with the Executive of the Bike Riders Union to caution their members to observe the traffic laws.
