Business

No Thanks For Junk Buses

Published

17 years ago

March 31, 2010

Vehicles belonging to the Port Harcourt City Bus Service (PHCBS) now ply the major roads of our state capital in their numbers. The service, as we are told, is a joint venture between the Rivers State Government, Skye Bank Plc and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

Launched in January 2009, the mass transit bus service came as a filler to the gap created by the ban on the operation of commercial motorcycles popularly known as Okada, especially in Port Harcourt, Obio/Akpor, Eleme and Oyigbo Local Government Areas.

Much as one will readily commend the scheme as having served in no mean measure to check the anger, exploitation and total frustration that would have attended the Okada ban, it will surely not be out of place to state that the age and make of some of the buses now being deployed under the scheme leaves much to be desired.

Let’s get this straight. Right from inception, Rivers State has always marked itself out as an entity that believes in the provision of quality services for its people. Alfred Diete-Spiff, pioneer military governor of the state and current Amanyanabo of Twon Brass in neighbouring Bayelsa State, always gets a standing ovation whenever his majestic presence is announced at any public gathering in both states. Obviously, this is a people’s way of appreciating a worthy public servant.

The then Navy Commander Diete-Spiff had, while grappling with the task of reconstructing and rehabilitating a newly created but war-torn Rivers state in the early 1970s, insisted on the use of best designs and quality materials in the provision of public amenities for the people. The Secretariat Complex in Port Harcourt, along with its skyscraping Point Block, is one of the many enduring landmarks of that era.

Equally worthy of mention and even more relevant to this discourse is the state-sponsored public transportation system which was introduced by Diete-Spiff. Waterline, as the scheme was then called, had in its fleet some of the sturdiest and most reliable brands of luxury buses and ferry boats of the time. Although succeeding administrations, both military and civilian, tried to add to the fleet inherited from this pioneer regime, their commitments to quality and proper maintenance were largely suspect. And so, only those early post-war acquisitions, particularly the marine vessels, endured until the splitting of old Rivers State in 1996.

Back to the moment. The new bus service scheme now operating in the state started with the deployment of few fairly-used and refurbished Marcopolo (Mercedes Benz) and Ashok Leyland buses adorned with the yellow and blue colours of Skye Bank.

There was an addition of a few Tata buses, later. Most of these vehicles, at their initial outings, still had all their interior and exterior lights and fittings, including in-built radio systems.

Commuters were indeed happy with the state government for such timely intervention. They were equally gladdened by the fact that these buses came in fairly sturdy shapes, with promises of endurance and longevity.

Talking of endurance, the individual strengths of these vehicles can hardly be tested by the excessive loads they convey per trip nor the number of non-stop rounds they make per day, but by the numerous gauntlets they have had to run in the hands of Area Boys (Agberos) at nearly every bus stop along their assigned routes. In fact, only little else can account for the heavily battered panels, missing bumpers and vandalised exterior lamps of most of these buses a few months after their deployment.

It is for this reason that one expects operators of the scheme, particularly Skye Bank, to always go for such vehicles as were already being used. Surely, their latest additions to the PHCBS fleet are glorified scraps, to say the very least. Those vehicles could have been imported from the most impoverished European or Asian country. Their make or model is not readily identifiable. Neither has one, at any time, seen their rear doors open for passengers to enter or exit. In fact, about three of these vans were said to have broken down at various spots along Aba Road on their very first day of operation. Too bad!

Any further importation and use of such apparently scrapped vehicles can only add to the already high cost of operation. And recouping such expenses through whatever marginal increase in fare will most certainly be an uphill, if not futile, exercise.

Ibelema Jumbo

Business

Wigwe’s Luxury Yacht Goes For N8.74 Billion After Legal Proceedings

Published

5 days ago

October 30, 2026

The Tide

The daughter of late Nigerian banking executive, Herbert Wigwe has sold her father’s luxury yacht for $6.5 million which is the equivalent of N8.74 Billion following legal proceedings involving her, Otutochi Wigwe, and the company holding the vessel, Grosvenor Marine Ventures Limited.

This was contained in an online report obtained by The Tide Source in Port Harcourt recently.

The Source further clarified that $6. 5 Million dollars or N8.74 Billion was the asking price as at March this year but was unable to prove, if the said amount was exactly what the vessel went for.

The yacht, known as Chitochi, is a 2016 Custom Line 108 superyacht measuring approximately 33 metres (108 feet) in length. The transaction was handled by international yacht brokerage firm IYC, with its sales and charter consultant, Mark Elliott, overseeing the sale.

The disposal of the high-value vessel followed legal steps taken to address the corporate status of Grosvenor Marine Ventures Ltd., the company through which the yacht was held.

Otutochi Wigwe reportedly approached a court in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) to secure the restoration of the company to the corporate register, a move that enabled the necessary legal steps towards the sale of the vessel.

The proceedings were central to resolving the corporate issues affecting the company and facilitating the transaction, underscoring the legal complexities that may arise when valuable assets are held through corporate entities in foreign jurisdictions.

The sale is also significant in the context of estate administration, as luxury yachts require substantial financial commitments to maintain, even when they are no longer actively used by their owners or beneficiaries.

Such vessels typically attract considerable expenses, including crew salaries, insurance premiums, berthing charges, routine servicing and other maintenance costs, making their continued ownership a major financial responsibility.

Beyond the recurring expenses, luxury yachts are depreciating assets that may lose value over time. Their disposal can therefore form part of a strategy to preserve estate value, reduce liabilities and convert an expensive asset into liquid funds.

Wigwe, who was the former Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings, died on February 9, 2024, in a helicopter crash in California, United States, alongside his wife, Chizoba; their son, Chizi; and former Nigerian Exchange Group chairman, Abimbola Ogunbanjo.

His death was widely mourned across Nigeria’s banking and business communities, where he was recognised for his contributions to the financial services industry, entrepreneurship and philanthropy.

Wigwe’s passing left behind an estate whose administration involves the management of assets and other financial interests, a process that can require legal and financial decisions to protect the interests of the estate and its beneficiaries.

The sale of Chitochi highlights the challenges associated with managing high-value assets held through corporate structures, particularly where the relevant companies and legal proceedings fall under different jurisdictions.

The $6.5 million transaction brings the yacht’s ownership chapter to a close while illustrating how legal procedures, financial considerations and estate management can intersect in the administration of the assets of a prominent business figure.

‘’We determined to get all our equipments and machinery functioning as we progress. For now we’ve about 105 workers, comprising daily paid harvesters and regular staffs. But aside these 105 staffs we also employ daily slashers who for now are about 100.

“During peak periods, hopefully on or before January 2026 we hope to increase our work force for maximum production”, the firm’s management Stated.

King Onunwor

Business

Firm Mulls Crash Down On Vegetable Oil Price …Targets Revenue Boost, Job Creation

Published

5 days ago

October 30, 2026

The Tide

A firm, Kompetenz Investment Zentrum Ltd, has said it would crash down the cost of vegetable oil in the market through adequate production and milling of its product for large scale sales in and around the State.

The Head, Human Resource Management of the firm, Mrs Amina Shehu said this in Yenagoa, the State capital, Wednesday while speaking with newsmen on an inspection tour of the company.

She noted that while other firms have previously managed the Palm farm, her company which she described as an experienced manager of palm farms recently acquired right of management of the Bayelsa Government-own palm plantation in September, 2026.

“We inherited a poorly managed farm and machineries from our predecessors, and so we’re working assiduously to overhaul the mills in this firm, more especially the biggest one.

”Today we’ve been able to put the small one into use, and it’s functioning well. Some engineering contractors have also came around with their various interest in bidding for the repair and overhaul of the ailing big mill we inherited, but surely the cost of repairs shown to us by the engineers run into billions.We’re however determined to get all our equipments and machinery functioning soon”, she said.

Mrs Shehu bemoaned the dysfunctional State of the farm facilities prior to its acquisition, adding however that there were plans by the company to get all moribund machinery functioning and put them to maximum utilisation and production capacity, while also working towards ensuring revenue boost for the firm and the State in the future.

Speaking on manpower and employment generation, the company’s HRM emphasised that at low peaks, the firm has employed no fewer than 200 staffers, comprising regular, casuals and workers on its daily payroll.

“At peak periods of harvest, more hands would be employed and production and milling capacity will be increased to 10 tons of palm oil per day in order to gradually crash down the soaring price of red oil in and around this State.

“We have just acquired the right of management of the Bayelsa Palm estate in September, 2026. We’re barely two months old as new management of this farm. As you can see for yourselves, a lot of work is currently ongoing in this farm.

“We have borrowed loans to run this farm, and so a lot of work; slashing of the palm fruits and clearing of the farm is ongoing. But upon what we have done which amounts to millions, it’s like we have not yet started because the Bayelsa Palm estate is really big” Mrs Shehu added.

She noted that during the world food day the company “showcased some of our produce and as we speak calls are coming in from far and near placing orders and showing interest in doing business with us.

“Our Director (our boss), has the requisite experience in this business. He has reinvigorated and invested in similar Palm farm businesses in other parts of this country.

“Some contractors have also came around with their various interest in bidding for the repair and overhaul of the ailing machinery we inherited, but surely the cost of repairs shown to us by the engineers run into billions.

‘We determined to get all our equipments and machinery functioning as we progress. For now we have about 105 workers, comprising daily paid harvesters and regular staffs. But aside these 105 staffs we also employ daily slashers who for now are about 100.

“During peak periods, hopefully on or before January 2026 we hope to increase our work force for maximum production”.

The Tide gathered that the firm is the new operator of the Bayelsa Palm estate and managers of the state’s Palm tree plantation.

The Tide spoke with a cross section of traders and consumers in major markets of the State and reports said the price of Palm oil which is botanically referred to as ‘elaeis guineensis’ has increased astronomically in recent months, due to general inflation in prices of commodities.

Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

Business

Traders Decry Continuous Increase In Prices Of Foodstuffs

Published

5 days ago

October 30, 2026

The Tide

Some traders at the Rumuwoji Market popularly known as Mile 1 Market have decried the continuous increase in the prices of food stuffs and other items in the ember season.

This was made known by the traders when The Tide visited the market recently.

The traders revealed varying changes in the prices of foodstuffs, with some commodities recording higher increase than others .

A trader Mrs Charity Obinna, at the market, said the price of yam remained the same last week and this week compared to the prices from last month to this month, adding that only a difference of about N100 to N200 was seen.

Another trader, Chukwuebuka Livinus who deals on garri, reported that the prices of some food commodities had been changing frequently.

According to him, the price of a bag of garri increased from N45,000 last week to N58,000 this week, representing an increase of N13,000.

Livinus described the increase as scary and called on the government to do something about it, especially as we get closer to the festive period.

A trader that deals on vegetables, Mrs Joy reported that a significant increase in the prices of pepper rose from N20,000 last week to N40,000 this week.

Similarly, the price of a bag of melon (egusi) increased from N420,000 toN490,000 this week.

In a separate report, Mrs Charity Obinna said that foodstuffs were generally cheaper last month than this month, with price differences ranging from N150 to N200 for some items.

Meanwhile, Giff Okoro reported a decrease in the price of tomatoes. According to her, a quantity of tomatoes that cost N45,000 last month now sells for N25,000, indicating a reduction of N20,000.

Another trader, Usman Ibrahim said the cost of transporting goods from the communities to urban areas where they are sold is one of the major reasons for high cost of goods.

He said transport cost has doubled due to the cost of petroleum products in Nigeria, adding the whole cost is part of the goods because “entrepreneurs must cover their cost and make their gains .

Ibrahim called on the government to help farmers and traders even with little capitals to expand and sustain their business.

Another trader, Mrs Choice Promise a fish retailer said a cartoon which sold at #35,000 last week now sells at #50,000 .

Promise complained that there is no gain or profit because the price has drastically increase and most people cannot afford to buy fish again.

“Mr. President’s Renewed Hope Agenda recognizes that economic ambition requires dependable infrastructure,” Tegbe said.

He added that investments in electricity infrastructure would strengthen the foundations for business expansion, employment and economic growth.

The Kankia substations comprise two 60 MVA, 132/33 kilovolt (kV) facilities designed to strengthen the transmission network serving Katsina State and neighbouring areas.

Tegbe said the infrastructure would improve the network’s ability to distribute available electricity, supporting commercial activities and household welfare.

He also urged residents to protect the facilities against vandalism and other activities that could disrupt electricity infrastructure, asking them to report suspicious activities to TCN or security agencies.

Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, described the project as a significant investment in the state’s electricity infrastructure.

Radda stated that improved electricity supply could support industrial development, economic growth and public service delivery.

He further commended the President, the Federal Ministry of Power and TCN for completing the project.

It would be noted that the latest projects come amid a broader government’s drive to address bottlenecks in Nigeria’s electricity transmission network, which has constrained the amount of electricity that can be delivered to distribution companies and end users.

Wali Chioma, Obasi Chidinma & Amarachi Uche