Under the scorching afternoon sun at Agona-Nkwanta in the Ahanta West Municipality of the Western region, dozens of three wheeled motorcycle riders, popularly known as ‘Pragia’, many still in their reflective vests, helmets dangling from handlebars, gathered to hear what many feared could threaten their daily bread.
For years, the three-wheeled motorcycles have become more than just transport in Ahanta West. They are school fees, hospital bills, rent and survival for many young men in the Municipality. So when word spread about a new directive regulating their operations, anxiety travelled faster than the engines they ride.
But Municipal Chief Executive for Ahanta West, Ing. Ebenezer Aidoo was quick to calm nerves.
“We are not banning your work,” he assured them during a dialogue session held with the riders, alongside the Municipal Coordinator, Mr. Shaiku Mumuni Damma and the Agona Police District Command.
“This is about safety. This is about order. This is about protecting lives, including yours.”
The meeting, described by many riders as long overdue, focused on new traffic management measures aimed at sanitising Pragia operations and improving road safety within the municipality.
Ebenezer Aidoo made it clear that minors must not be allowed to operate the vehicles.
Riders below eighteen years, he stressed, should neither be permitted to work nor issued licences. He also urged those without valid documentation to regularise their papers immediately.
For many in the gathering, the issue of licensing drew nods and quiet murmurs. Some admitted privately that documentation processes can be frustrating and costly. But the MCE insisted that compliance would ultimately protect their business.
The Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), he announced, will intensify education and training sessions to help riders better understand traffic regulations and road safety practices. The goal, he said, is to reduce accidents and professionalise the sector.
Beyond documentation, the conversation turned to behaviour on the roads. Ebenezer Aidoo did not mince words about the dangers of alcohol, Tramadol and other illicit substances, warning that such habits not only endanger the riders, but also passengers and pedestrians. “You carry people’s lives every day,” he reminded them.
Municipal Coordinator, Mr. Shaiku Mumuni Damma, added that disorderly practices, including parking at roundabouts and making sudden U-turns in the middle of busy streets must stop if Ahanta West is to maintain order and reduce traffic chaos.
The Municipal Police Commander reinforced the call for discipline and cooperation, urging the riders to see themselves as partners in building a safer municipality.
When the floor was opened, the atmosphere shifted. Riders raised concerns about harassment, inconsistent enforcement and the need for more designated parking areas. Some spoke passionately about how the Pragia business has kept them away from unemployment and social vices.
He assured them that their concerns would be taken into account and encouraged continuous engagement between the Assembly and rider unions.
As the meeting ended and engines roared back to life, one thing was clear: the dialogue may not have solved every issue, but it opened a channel of trust.
For the young men who ride daily through the streets of Ahanta West, the reforms now come with a message, not of shutdown, but of structure. And for the Assembly, the challenge remains balancing livelihoods with law and safety.
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