Bodaboda operators are calling on the government and other stakeholders to roll out empowerment programmes, including affordable loans and skills training, to cushion them against rising operating costs that are eating into their daily earnings.
The riders say the cost of running a motorcycle taxi business keeps climbing. Rising fuel prices, higher motorcycle maintenance costs and other daily expenses are taking a growing share of what they make, leaving them with less to take home and making it increasingly difficult to sustain their businesses.
Bodaboda transport has become a major source of income for many people and a vital link for passengers who need to move quickly through traffic or reach places that are hard to access by other means.
With the pressure mounting, the operators are asking for structured support. They are urging the government and other stakeholders to provide affordable loans, skills training and business support to help them expand their operations and improve their welfare.
In practice, such support could help riders invest in their businesses, while skills training could open up other ways to earn. The operators also want the programmes to create opportunities for young people, many of whom depend on the sector for work.
The appeal highlights the narrow margins on which many riders operate. A motorcyclist who relies on each day's fares must cover fuel and upkeep before taking anything home, so even small increases in costs can quickly change what is left at the end of the day.
For policymakers, the message is that a sector which keeps people employed and the transport network moving needs more than goodwill. Whether through credit schemes, training programmes or other forms of business support, the riders want help that lets them expand their operations, improve their welfare and weather rising costs. Until such help arrives, many riders will keep navigating tight margins one trip at a time, hoping their appeal is heard.
