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The security crisis has had a negative impact on the activities of several sectors. Taxi drivers are finding fewer customers, especially in areas with higher security challenges. We met one of them. He practices this profession in Kaya (Sanmatengga Province, North-Central Region). Testimony!
On Tuesday, July 23, 2024, we ask for the services of taxi driver JO as we go on a mission to Kaya. He and other taxi drivers gather at the entrance of the Kaya Regional Hospital Center (CHR). At first glance, he is an unsympathetic man. Negotiation is not in his vocabulary. “It will cost 1,000 CFA francs to the station,” he says dryly. “Can’t we reduce it a little?”, we negotiate. “This is the price. If you want, you can go somewhere else.” The driver retorts. We risk being late for the station. So we have to hurry and comply with JO’s price and get into his old Mercedes. The taxi driver turns on the radio loudly before driving off: drive to the station.
After a few minutes, the man’s tone changed. He spoke to us. It seemed that we were old acquaintances. He gave some snippets of information about his career. Previously, JO worked as a driver in a project. After the mission was completed, he decided to retrain as a taxi driver in Kaya. Those were good times, he remembered.
“We can have 60,000 FCFA per day. This month, I can save 400,000 FCFA. There are security guards. We go to all the villages. I went to Barsalogo, Penza, Yargo, Tapaco, Mane, etc. There are places where the transport buses do not leave at certain times. There is also a lack of ambulances. Patients come to Kaya for treatment and return home once they are healthy. They rent my car at a high price. Usually, I have to pay 50,000 FCFA to pay for my services. I drive the customers to their homes and they are satisfied,” said JO.
Terrorism has always existed
Unfortunately, the security crisis has turned the taxi driver’s life upside down, as it has for millions of Burkina Faso’s people. He says business is slow. Most of the towns he commutes to are now red zones. He must be content to just drive around Kaya town.
Every day, “if I have too much, it’s 2,000 FCFA. The market is very bleak and nothing goes well. Sometimes, from morning till night, there are no customers,” he said desperately. The father of six struggles to take care of his family. “At the moment, I can’t buy corn to eat. The corn is done at home. I don’t even know how I’m going to do it. You want to feed your family properly and on top of that, you have to maintain your vehicle. It’s a very difficult situation for me,” he said with a sigh.
The taxi driver does not consider leaving Kaya and does not want to retrain for a profession for the time being. All these years of traveling have worn out the 56-year-old physically and mentally. Continuing the discussion, J.0 announced that his three sons all have driving licenses. But due to financial difficulties, they cannot buy a car like their father and become taxi drivers. Luckily, they are sometimes asked to serve as apprentices in transport companies. The taxi driver is sure that terrorism will soon end. “But until when?” », he asks himself.
He expressed the hope that all regions of Burkina Faso would become habitable again. As a complaint, he wanted the authorities to investigate the road infrastructure in Kaya, which, he said, was in a bad state.
We didn’t notice the time passing. We have reached our destination. “You have to take my phone number. Next time, if you need a driver in Kaya, you should call me. Most importantly, have a good trip.” J.0 said with a smile on his face. Hurry up, you have to cut the ticket before the bus is full of passengers. It’s hard to find a spot because of the school holidays.
As we left Kaya, we were deeply moved by the taxi driver’s story. A resilient man, he did not make a good impression at first. Fortunately, due to his outpouring of his words, he aroused sympathy and compassion.
Samira Batio
Lefaso.net
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