Transport
LAMATA, Ashok Leyland Pact On Customised Buses
Ashok Leyhand, has announced plans to manufacture customised buses for Lagos BRT to meet the state’s requirements for its transit programme and to ensure that the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) meets the increasing expectations of commuters in the state.
The Regional Manager, Ashok Leyland West Africa, Mr. Riyaz Nijum, disclosed this while on a visit to the newly commissioned Ashok Leyhand showroom and service centre in Lagos on Friday.
Nijum commended the management of the BRT for making the scheme successful that it becomes a model for other states. “We are proud to be associated with the Lagos State BRT programme which has gown to become a model for other states in Nigeria and West African countries. We congratulate the LAMATA and the Lagos State Government on three years of successfully running the mass transit programme and look forward to working with them as the programme expand to cover more areas and cater for more people”.
He revealed that his company is continuously researching to understand the requirements of Nigerian commuters in order to design customised models of buses suitable for mass transit operations in the country. He said that the first three models of the customised buses will be launched this year. “These new models will prove an excellent fit for a comfortable transport system and they are customised to the Nigerian driving conditions”, he added.
Also commenting on Ashok Leylands plan Mr, Jacky Hathiramani, Managing Director, Starling Motors Limited, authorised distributors for Ashok Leyland in Nigeria ssaid, “we are excited at the special interest that Nigeria is getting from Ashok Leyland and would work with them to ensure that this interest translate to benefits for commuters. We will be providing the necessary support services to ensure that the brand performs effectively across Nigeria”.
Ashok Leyland, India in collaboration with Ecobank Plc, supplied the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) all 220 buses used for the Lagos State BRT mass transit programme. The company is one of India’s largest vehicle manufacturers and has built a reputation for ruggedness and reliability.
Over 50,000 Ashok Leyland vehicles are currently being used by various mass transit operators across India. Four out of the five State Transport Undertaking (STU) buses come from Ashok Leyland. This includes the double-decker and vestibule buses which are unique models tailor made for high-density routes.
The commissioning of Ashok Leyland Service Centre in Nigeria and its plans to manufacture special buses customised to Nigerian environment underscores the company’s long term commitment to working with the country’s authorities in developing world-class mass transit system in the country.
Maritime
Fall Off Container Crushes Woman To Death
Tragedy struck on Friday, when a fully loaded 40ft container fell from a Mack truck and crushed a woman to death along Lagos, Ibadan Expressway.
The Tide gathered that the Mack truck was on high speed when the incident occurred around NNPC inward Alapere, Ogudu, along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
A statement made available to our correspondent in Lagos by the Director, Public Affairs and Enlightment Department of Lagos State traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Mr. Adebayo Taofiq, said a fully loaded 40ft Mack articulated truck fell on a Nissan car with registration number ABJ 692BG and instantly killed a woman at the rear of the car, while the car driver survived unhurt with the support of LASTMA officials.
Taofiq confirmed that the driver of the Mack articulated truck with his motor-boy ran away immediately the fatal accident occurred.
He said, according to preliminary investigation, the truck while on a high speed lost control as a result of a brake failure and rammed into a moving Nissan car on motion by N.N.P.C inward Alapere, Ogudu, along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Lagos.
The rescue agencies at the scene of the crash were the LASEMA, Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS), Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and the Police.
Also at the accident scene were the LASTMA General Manager, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, LASTMA Director of Traffic Incidents, Event Monitoring, Enforcement and Compliance, Mr. Hakeem Adeosun, and the LASTMA rescue team.
General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare Oki, however, warned motoring public, particularly truck drivers, to stop over speeding and ensure their vehicles are properly checked, including the braking system, before embarking on any journey within or outside the State.
The incident attracted passers-by, who thronged the scene lamenting the unfortunate incident, accusing men of the ports task force of negligence.
By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
Maritime
PTML Customs Posts N66.92bn Revenue In First Quarter 2024
The Port Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML) Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has presented an impressive revenue record collection for the first quarter of 2024.
According to the Command, it collected the sum of N66,920,181,586.30 as total revenue for the quarter of 2024, which is N22,198,965,809.55 higher than N44,721,215,776.75 collected between January and March 2023, representing 49.6 percent increase.
The Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the Command , Compt. Saidu Abba Yusuf, who described the increase in revenue collection as a laudable feat , said the Command is more committed towards trade facilitation and support government drive for ease of doing business.
Comptroller Yusuf, who thanked the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for initiating strategies to achieve faster cargo clearance, reiterared that PTML Command under his watch aims to surpass its record of three hour cargo clearance for compliant traders.
According to Yusuf, the launching of time release study (TRS), which is ongoing, and other deliberate efforts by the Comptroller General have contributed in the expansion of terminal space and promoting ease of doing business in PTML.
He also disclosed that the PTML Command has potentials to achieve two hour cargo clearance and surpass its existing three hours record, if port users compliance level is improved upon.
Comptroller Yusuf, who described PTML as one of the safest and most secure environment for RoRo (Roll On Roll Off) and general cargoes, also advised importets and their agents to take advantage of the incentives available for compliant traders such as fast track, advance ruling and possible migration to the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) status.
He reminded port users in PTML of the robust and time conscious dispute resolution mechanism, which has contributed immensely to the revenue collection, trade facilitation and anti smuggling functions of the Command.
While commending the various government and private sector stakeholders for their cooperation and support towards realisation of government goal of revenue collection and prevention of unlawful activities, Comptroller Yusuf expressed optimism that the Command will surpass its annual target for the year.
Maritime
Customs Comptroller Lauds Scanning Officers Over Efficiency
The Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Apapa Customs Command, Comptroller Babajide Jaiyeoba, has commended the officers of the Non Intrusive Inspection Technology Unit (NIITU) for their invaluable contributions to the overall success of the Command.
Comptroller Jaiyeoba, who was on an unscheduled visit to the scanner site, reminded the officers of the importance of team work as a strong basis to sustain the gains of compliance and revenue collection recently recorded by the Command.
According to a statement by the Public Relations Officer, Apapa Command, CSC Abubakar Usman, Comptroller Jaiyeoba thanked Deputy Comptroller, Salamatu Atuluku, the Officer in Charge of scanning site, and encouraged the unit not to be deterred by complaints coming from persons who were made to pay accurate duties to government after issuance of demand notices.
The Customs boss stated that no business person who is made to part with money will be happy with officers that refused compromising the ethics of their job.
He noted that “The main reason for me coming here is to appreciate you. I may not see you, but I have seen your work and I won’t keep quiet about what I have seen about your work. You are doing very well. I just want to encourage you to work as a team. If you don’t work as a team, you give room for outsiders to come in and when they come in, they divide you, and when they divide you, achieving success will be very difficult.
“Do your work without blemish. Once you keep your arm straight, you can stand before anybody. Your work as a Customs Officer is to ensure that you do the correct thing.
“For those of you doing intervention in the form of Demand Notice (DN), there is no body who part with money that will be happy with you. They will want to play intelligent by hiding somewhere. When you fetch them from their hiding place, they become your enemy.
Whatever they write about anybody here will still come down to me and if anybody works well, the onus on me is to defend such a person .
“Just have it at the back of your mind that you owe yourself the duty of doing your work diligently whether anyone comes around as a friend or enemy. It is not enough for you to rest. The reward for hard work is more work. These demands require sacrifice so that you can maintain the status”.
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