Business
Enforce Law On Tinted Glasses, Siren-Transporter
Law enforcement agents
especially the police have been urged to enforce the law on motor vehicles prohibition of tinted glasses and indiscriminate blasting of siren in the state.
A renowned transporter, Elder Franklin Obu made the call in an interview with The Tide in his office in Port Harcourt on Monday.
Obu said the need for law enforcement agents to take proactive action to curb the increase in the use of tinted car glasses and that of indiscriminate blasting siren by some drivers cannot be over -emphasised with the increasing number of kidnapping and other criminal activities in recent times.
According to him, most crucial acts were facilitated with tinted glass cars, stressing that checking the indiscriminate use would drastically reduce criminal activities especially in this political era in the state.
The transporter reiterated that the rate at which all manner of persons use tinted glasses and siren is alarming that nobody knows who is who as even those not statutorily authorized use them to perpetrate crimes.
He stated that only those authorized should be given that privilege while those without permission should be arrested and prosecuted, no matter how highly place in the society.
The worst offenders are the convoy drivers, pilot drivers and the police themselves who for no reason blast their sirens to intimidate and frighten other road users while politicians of all categories also use tinted glass cars to avoid being indentified by their enemies or electorates, Obu posited, and further called for stiffer penalties for any offender as to serve as deterrant to others who are in that habit.
The motor vehicles (prohibition of tinted glass) Decree No 6 of 1991, laws of the Federation of Nigeria stated that, “The Federal Military Government hereby decrees as follow: iv) Except with the permission of the appropriate authority designated for the purposes of this Decree and for such good cause as may be determined from time to time by the appropriate authority, no person shall cause any glass fitted on a motor vehicle to be tinted, or shaded or coloure lightly or thickly, darkened or treated in any other way, so that the person or object in the motor vehicle are rendered obscure or invisible”.
The facility will be disbursed through participating Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), which will in turn extend the loans to their customers, particularly SMEs, as they directly interface with businesses at the grassroots level.
The Executive Director of COMCIN, Mr. Micheal Ogbaa who represented the Chairman, Dr. Iredele Oyedele (FCA, FCCA), said the initiative is designed to strengthen micro-lending institutions and expand access to finance for grassroots entrepreneurs, particularly women and youths in the informal sector.
Ogbaa explained that COMCIN does not lend directly to individuals but works through its network of microfinance and cooperative institutions, which in turn provide loans to end users.
“We came together to advocate for the microfinance ecosystem. Commercial banks often exclude people at the grassroots, but our members are positioned to reach them. This facility will empower them to do more,” he said.
He noted that the loan scheme offers low interest rates and flexible repayment plans, making it more accessible to small business owners.
According to him, about 90 percent of beneficiaries are expected to be women, who play a key role in sustaining families and driving economic activities at the local level.
“Our focus is on traders, service providers, and players in the informal sector. These are the real movers of the economy. By supporting them, we are strengthening families and contributing to national development,” he added.
Ogbaa disclosed that eligible SMEs with proven integrity and business track records could access up to N5 million each through participating micro-lending institutions. The rollout has commenced in Lagos and will extend to Abuja, Enugu, and other regions, including the South-West, South-East, and North-East.
He said 12 micro-lending institutions have already benefited from the scheme, while 85 applications are currently being processed under the pilot phase.
“Our target is to reach at least 100,000 SMEs nationwide. We are building a platform that connects funding partners with credible micro-lending institutions, creating a reliable channel for financial inclusion,” Ogbaa said.
He added that COMCIN is also working to attract larger funding pools from development finance institutions and private investors, noting that successful implementation of the pilot phase would boost confidence and unlock more capital for SMEs.
“We have seen encouraging testimonies from early beneficiaries. As we demonstrate transparency and efficiency, more institutions will be willing to channel funds through us,” he said.
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