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03.11.2020 Feature Article

The ‘Pragia’ Menace; Anyone Seeing It? Again!

The Pragia Menace; Anyone Seeing It? Again!
03.11.2020 LISTEN

On May 21 2018, I published on my personal Facebook blog ( https://web.facebook.com/theusmanconsulting/posts/197239094229368 ) as follows…

Recently, I asked about the price of the Indian made motorcycle which has come to be known as “Pragia”. To my surprise, that collection of metals and rubbers costs over GH10,000.00 now. What? How can this thing cost that much? What is so complex about a motorcycle that we can’t manufacture in Ghana? Are we just lazy or our taste for anything foreign has increased to such an extent that soon we will be importing excreta so that our system wouldn’t need to stress itself with metabolism and excretion?

Well, that’s not even the reason why I’m ranting. It appears we’ve developed an attitude of never being responsible for anything and anyone. We live our lives anyhow and expect some ‘good’ outcome. I have no issues if we import thousands or millions of those tricycles to aid transportation. But my worry has to do with how those machines are being used. I’ve been keenly studying the ‘boys’ who ride these motorcycles and have come to a conclusion that there’s ‘something wrong’ with them.

They drive anyhow; disregard traffic regulations; appear to be clueless about where they cannot go with their ‘pragia’; and have no idea the potential fatality of what they’re riding. I’ve spotted a lot of them plying highways and I feel very uneasy anytime I sight them. I can’t imagine how fatal an accident with these tricycles would be. Are we waiting for something bad to happen before we regulate the movement of these motorcycles?

Can’t we allow our witches and wizards to go about their duties in peace. This is a simple issue of common sense. I would guess those tricycles (aka Pragia) are meant for in town movements and very short distances. So why do they wish to ply highways and compete with cars and heavy duty vehicles whose wind could blow the tricycles off?

Why are authorities allowing people to operate these machines without any control. It appears conceptions of witches and wizards needs to change from the old or poor to those in authority whose negligence takes more lives than any witch or wizard could ever.

Let’s apply common sense and stop blaming everything on spirituality.

Fast forward to November 3 2020…

About two years ago, I wrote about my fears for the lives of riders and passengers of these motorized tricycles popularly known as pragia which seem to be taking over the transport space in some parts of Ghana. My fears seem to heighten as I travel around the country. Having stayed in Tepa-Ashanti for barely a year, I’ve heard of at least six accidents involving these tricycles with two of them being fatal.

One of them was a head-on collision. Yesterday, I was at the accident scene of three or so of these tricycles. Eyewitnesses narrated a near head-on collision because they were overtaking. I wondered. These machines could barely speed 40kmph. How could they collide? In my naivety.

Hear me out. Why do we seem to solve problems by replacing them with worse ones? Like the herdsmen problem, this pragia menace definitely has some bigger hands involved in imports, duties, or ownership. I heard (haven’t confirmed) there are none of these passenger carrying tricycles in Sunyani because the chief has decided not to allow their operation in that capital city. I entreat other leaders to learn from this and other best practices. In the event they need to necessarily operate for whatever reasons, regulation is critical.

I bet most of the riders of these machines are unlicensed, inexperienced, and seem to follow their own road traffic rules and regulations. I’ve experienced them severally myself. They stop and park anyhow, take U-turns at very risky spots, overtake unnecessarily, and appear unserious about riding. They compete with vehicles on highways for space and wish to rub shoulders with drivers.

Unfortunately, people are increasingly investing in these machines and handing them over to people who can move them around and pick passengers. Passengers are also increasingly preferring these tricycles to the usual taxis (or are they also taxis?). Whether these riders are trained or licensed appears unimportant to the owners and passengers.

The most important thing is to turn in sales at the end of the day and passengers get to their destinations relatively cheaply. Damn! Accidents do happen. Of course! Even planes crash. Now we cannot gather all the machines and burn them. Not feasible for political and economic reasons. However, the more the operations of these tricycles go unregulated, the more innocent lives we risk for no tangible reason. These accidents are completely avoidable. I hope some people listen.

By: Mustapha Bin Usman

The author is a writer, entrepreneurship expert, business and life coach, entrepreneur, farmer, trainer, and teacher. You may contact him via email: [email protected] or on Mobile/ WhatsApp: +233 246 134 798 or visit his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/theusmanconsulting/ Read more from his Modernghana.com column: https://www.modernghana.com/author/MustaphaBinUsman

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