MOTORCYCLE MECHANIC AS A MEANS OF INCOME AND EMPLOYMENT GENERATION IN KATSINA STATE

ABSTRACT

Motorcycle ownership and use in developing countries has increased dramatically over the past few decades. In many countries, the Motorcycle mechanics and operators serves as a source of livelihood to many people and riders look up to it as a source of income for survival of their households. The pursuit for economic and social survival has made many young people and middle-aged men get into a variety of jobs such as motorcycle operations. Thus this study aimed at investigating the contributions of Motorcycle mechanics and operators to the wellbeing of operators in Katsina State. In particular, the study sought to establish the socio-demographic characteristics of motorcycle operators, the contribution of Motorcycle mechanics and operators to the socio-economic wellbeing of the operators, to determine its contribution to the community wellbeing, challenges experienced by the operators and to suggest ways of improving the wellbeing of Motorcycle mechanics and operators. The study was conducted in Katsina State among Motorcycle mechanics and operators. It adopted a mixed method approach employing a descriptive survey research design. Motorcycle mechanics and operators were selected using stratified and simple random sampling while key informants were identified using purposive sampling technique. There were 122 respondents sampled for the study in total. To get information from the motorcycle operators, semi-structured interview schedules were used while for the key informants, interview guides were used. Focus group discussion guides were also used to gather qualitative data from the motorcycle operators. The information collected were coded, cleaned and analyzed by use of frequency counts, percentages, mean, and mode whereas thematic analysis was used for qualitative data. The findings revealed that the Motorcycle mechanics and operators in Katsina State was dominated by the youth with those below 35 years of age totaling to 69.6 percent. (96.7 percent) of motorcycle operators were male, with females at 3.3 percent. Most (56.6 percent) of the motorcycle operators had attained secondary education, 39.3 percent had attained primary education and below, and 4.1percent had tertiary education. Majority (54.9 percent) of the motorcycle operators did not own motorcycles, while 45.1 percent owned the motorcycles they operated. Majority (89.3 percent) of the motorcycle operators reported that the Motorcycle mechanics and operators had made them socially and economically better, while 10.7 percent were not sure. The Motorcycle mechanics and operators provided the operators with a source of income that enabled them meet their daily subsistence needs. They also reported that through the business they were able to make invesments and educate their children. It also enabled them interact with different persons in the community. Moreover, the study showed that the Motorcycle mechanics and operators had contributed to the community wellbeing in areas of transport, health, education and security. The study also highlighted some of the challenges facing the motorcycle operators including diseases, insecurity such as theft of motorbikes, difficulty accessing and paying loans, police harrassment, and some customers not paying which was least reported. Overall, the study revealed that the Motorcycle mechanics and operators contributed to the wellbeing of the operators and that of the community. The study recommended a close working relationship between the security personnel and the industry to curb theft and ensure law enforcement. Other recommendations included sensitizations of industry operators on risk behaviours through the County’s Health Department as well as financial training. Moreover, the study also recommended sensitization of community members regarding the motorcycle industry and its benefit to the community. Future studies on the industry are likewise recommended due to the ever-changing developments in the industry and the present day economy.  

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Commercial ‘taxi’ motorcycles are known by different names in the African continent;  from PikiPiki (Swahili term) and BodaBoda (East Africa), Okada (Pidgin English – Nigeria), Oléyiain Togo, to Bendskin in Cameroon. The two-wheeled medium has become a very popular means of transportation in many African villages, towns and cities. In fact, it is estimated that motorcycles make up more than 40 percent of all the automobiles (including cars, buses, trucks and so on) (Iwuoha, 2013).

Globally, motorcycles have been the prime means of motorized transport. For example, the business of motorcycle taxis in London began in early 1990s to offer alternative means of transport to the upper class passengers who felt fed up of sitting in traffic snarlups on their way to and from the airport. Since then, the means has continued to offer cheaper, faster and convenient means of transport services compared to other modes of transport (Anon, 2014). In Taiwan, around one out of four people use automobiles while the ratio of motorcycles use is about 1:2. In Vietnam, the use of motorcycle is even higher because of lack of public transport and the available automobiles are out of reach for many because of low income levels (Nkede, 2012). In China, motorcycle taxis have playeed a very big role in supporting the lives of urban migrants subgroups from Taiwan, Vietnam and Asia (Qian, 2014).

In Nigeria, motorcycles serve as a means of living to many people (Taruwere, 2012).

Motorcycle operators look up to it as a source of income for survival of their households (Arosanyin, 2011). In Northern Ghana, lives of many urban residents have improved significantly due to the high levels of motorcycle ownership and use (Dinye, 2013). With poor roads and inadequate public transport systems, many urban residents can easily move even to the peri-urban areas because of the increase in use of motorcycles. The growth in use of motorcycles has also come along with a lot of employment opportunities to the operators. Motorcycle mechanics and operators and motorcycle spare parts dealers have gotten employment and there has also been an increase in sources for revenue generation for the local government through licencing, motorcycle registration and levied taxes (Dinye, 2013).

In Nigeria, Motorcycle mechanics and operators (boda boda) has provided employement to many youths (Olawo W., Ochieng’ I., Ombok B., & Achieng’ F., 2014). Motorcycle riders, mechanics and spare-part dealers have earned daily income from motorcycle related activities to support their livelihoods (Nyachieo, 2013) and as a result, the Government of Nigeria made acquisition of motorcycles affordable to many in 2008 by zero-rating so as to promote jobs in the transport industry. The operators who adopted this business increased their incomes by 50 percent, thus leading to improvement in standard of living of people involved in Motorcycle mechanics and operators. (Olawo et al. 2014). The Nairobi Stock Exchange Nigeria (NSE) (2018) report indicated that approximately 600,000 commercial cyclists take home an average of Ksh. 1,000 daily.

The Motorcycle mechanics and operators has been one of the rapidly growing sub-sectors in Nigeria. Since 2010, it has opened up several opportunities for Nigerian youths, and it is assumed that it has led to reduction in criminal activities committed by the youths (Kangethe, 2015). In Motorcycle mechanics and operators, an individual is sure of getting  money enough to cater for the family needs (Kangethe, 2015). According to the Chairman of the Motorcycle Assembly Association of Nigeria (MAAK),

Isaac Kalua, about 99 percent of motorcycle riders earn about Ksh1,000 per day on average (Kangethe, 2015). This greatly exceeds the wages of those in the informal sectors with jobs that require limited skills like casual security, retail businesses, and construction. Motorcycle mechanics and operators in Nigeria is thus very competitive and to survive in this business, one has to be innovative, have good customer care, abide by the law, be reliable and maintain the motorcycle regularly (Iwuoha, 2013).

Many studies  done on motorcycles in Nigeria, for instance, Olawo et al. (2014), Nyachieo (2015) and Nyakundi (2015), have concentrated on the socio-economic activities, road traffic accidents and safety; a study by Mutiso and Berhens (2010) focused on the role played by Motorcycle mechanics and operators in urban trasport in creation of  employment opportunities in Kisumu and Nakuru;  Mbugua (2011) found  out that, compared to the earlier sources of income of the operators, motorcycle taxis had improved the livelihoods of about 95.7 percent of the respondents. Nyachieo (2013) conducted a study on creating employment through transport. She studied how the youth in Kitengela – Nigeria were using motorcycle transport to create employment. She found that motorcycle transport provided employment opportunities to many youths in Nigeria.

Other studies have focused on motorcycle transport safety in terms of social cultural and economic determinants (Nyachieo, 2015), transport policies affecting motorcycle and tri-cycle growth (Chepchieng’, 2011), critical success factors of the motorcycle Motorcycle mechanics and operators (Mwobobia, 2011), and use of motorcycle transport in the urban areas (Dinye, 2013). Thus the current study focuses on the contribution of Motorcycle mechanics and operators to the operators’ socioeconomic and community wellbeing.

According to Playford (2001), wellbeing represents a situation where people can access  employment opportunities,  quality housing, participate in social and civic activities and access community services and facilities; they are able to promote a healthy living environment and reduce opportunities for crime with respect to community values.  Wellbeing depicts the expression of the highest level of  quality  life measured in terms of; better living standards, healthy lives, conducive environment, united communities, high levels of education, availability of leisure time, political participation, and access to important elements in the community such as arts, and culture (Institute of Wellbeing Canada, 2012). Community development in a wider persective involves people coming together to take collective actions aimed at improving their social, economic, physical, and environmental well-being, as they  preserve the most important aspects of their culture (Flo & Smith, 2012). Thus, this study focused on the collective actions taken by Motorcycle mechanics and operators to improve their living standards.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Before the zero rating of motorcycles in 2008, the lives of majority residents of Katsina State, was centered on fishing, subsistence agriculture and livestock keeping. They cultivated crops such as millet, sorghum, maize, groundnuts cotton, sugarcane and rice. Due to overfishing and unpredictable weather, there was a reduction in fish population thus returns from fishing and farming activities diminished (Abdi, 2004). As a result, majority of the youths became jobless thus their sources of wellbeing were lowered, making many to engage in a alternative activities such as Motorcycle mechanics and operators for ‘survival’.

With most youth resorting to other means of survival, there was need to engage in activites that were economically manageable such as Motorcycle mechanics and operators which gave hope and opportunities of improved wellbeing to numerous people due to the zero rating of the motorcycles. As  a form of employment, the Motorcycle mechanics and operators has created opportunities to many people, both young and old in Nigeria (Nyachieo, 2013) and because of this, the business has been encouraged continually in every part of Nigeria including Katsina State.

Despite the opportunities created, the operators continued to experience a number of problems: many riders operated the business in a contractual basis since majority of them did not own motorcycles and as a result, the income they got per day had to pay the owner of motorcycles (their employers) for them to secure the motorcycle for the following day. The agreement between the operators and their employers (owner of motorcycles) in most cases was not binding nor written down. As such, the operators  faced the risk of frustrations and working for many hours a day and getting very little to cater for their needs while also taking to the employers’ the required amount at the end of the day.

A number of motorcycle riders also resorted to taking alcohol in order to avoid or escape domestic obligations because the low income they earned was hardly enough to meet their daily  basic needs due to the challenges associated with the business. Some  operators rode the motorcycles during unfavorable weather conditions and engaged in dangerous practices to acquire more money to remit to the motorcycle owners and have some to take home thus affecting their health (Kageha, 2015).

Most studies conducted in Nigeria have focused on the socio-economic activities, road traffic accidents and safety with limited information on the quality housing, participation in social and civic activities and access community services and facilities which make the operators  able to promote a healthy living environment and reduce opportunities for crime with respect to community values. Due to the limited information on the social and community wellbeing of the motorcycle operators, this study thus sought to investigate how Motorcycle mechanics and operators contributed to the wellbeing of operators with respect to the individual, social, economic and community wellbeing.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

This study aimed at determining the contributions of Motorcycle mechanics and operators to the wellbeing of operators  and that of community members in Katsina State.

1.4 Objectives of the Study

The main objective of the study was to determine the contributions of Motorcycle mechanics and operators to the wellbeing of the operators in Katsina State.

The specific objectives were:

1. To establish the socio-demographic characteristics of Motorcycle mechanics and operators in Katsina State
2. To establish the contribution of Motorcycle mechanics and operators to the socio-economic wellbeing of the operators in Katsina State

• To find out the contributions of Motorcycle mechanics and operators to the community wellbeing in Katsina State.

1. To identify the challenges facing motorcycle operators in Katsina State.
2. To suggest ways of improving the wellbeing of Motorcycle mechanics and operators in katsina state.

1.5 Research Questions

1. What are the socio-demographic characteristics of Motorcycle mechanics and operators in

Katsina State ?

1. In what ways does the Motorcycle mechanics and operators contribute to the socio-economic wellbeing of operators in Katsina State?

• In what ways does the Motorcycle mechanics and operators contribute to the community wellbeing in Katsina State?

1. What are the challenges that face motorcycle operators in Katsina State?
2. What are some of the ways of improving the wellbeing of Motorcycle mechanics and operators in Katsina State?

1.6 Justification of the Study

Motorcycle mechanics and operators has played a vital role in improving the wellbeing of residents around lake region who over the recent years experienced challenges with the agriculture and fishing industry, which was their main economic activity. Due to the challenges in the wellbeing of the people, and the dwindling livelihood dependent on fishing and agriculture,  most youths in this region resorted to the Motorcycle mechanics and operators. Due to the huge presence of the business in the Northern regions of Nigeria, the choice of Katsina State, provided a useful setting for the study to explore the wellbeing of the motorcycle operators.

Moreover, the motivation of  choosing Katsina State as a study area was broughy about by the fact that the area consisted of people with similar cultural background and who also faced similar problems of low levels of income and less access to public transport thus affecting their social, economic, and cultural setting.

The study significantly contributed literature to be used by other researchers. It also benefited the operators by enhancing different dimensions of their wellbeing. Results from this study could also be used by policy makers to create and develop policies that are aligned towards improving the wellbeing of motorcycle operators and the associated communities.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The study investigated the contributions of Motorcycle mechanics and operators as a means of income and employment generation in Katsina State. Although there are many dimensions of wellbeing, the study focused on social, economic, and community aspects of wellbeing.

 

MOTORCYCLE MECHANIC AS A MEANS OF INCOME AND EMPLOYMENT GENERATION IN KATSINA STATE

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