CHASING QUICK GAINS: HOW TRICYCLE TRANSPORTATION UNDERMINES ARTISANAL APPRENTICESHIP

Abstract

Since the introduction of the three-wheeler which is popularly known as keke, into the Nigeria transportation system, they have gained very wide acceptance as a convenient mode of transportation across the country. The regulation of their operation is barely non-existent in many urban and semi-urban towns. It is an all-comers affair, with the states and local authorities merely concerned with the token levy they collect from the operators on daily basis. The operators are mainly unemployed youths but in recent times, this is fast changing. The economic situation in the country which has worsened over time has made many artisanal practitioners leave their craft for keke transport business. It has also drawn secondary school leavers and even under aged individuals into the pool of keke transport operators. 

This development is having some negative impact on the social and economic life of the country. The artisans are having difficult times recruiting young people into their apprenticeships. While some of those artisans are abandoning their crafts for keke transport business as a quick means of income generation for their economic survival. This has created dearth in apprentices in artisanal field. 

This work examined the nexus between the lure for quick income and the dearth in artisanal apprentice in Aba, a hob of Micro, Small and Medium Scale enterprises in the country. Raw data through questionnaire and in-depth interviews were generated. The collected data were analysed and presented using chi-square and tables.it was established that the quick income generating nature of the three-wheeler has huge attraction for the youths which is contributing to dearth in artisanal apprentices. From the findings, one of the recommendation for proper government regulation of the sector for balanced development and economic sustainability