Business
Lagos Begins Issuance Of New Taxi Cab Licences
The Lagos State Govern
ment last Thursday began the issuance of new licences to operators of taxis and cabs in the state.
The Tide correspondent learnt that the licences, targeting no fewer than 14,000 registered operators, are being issued under the state’s new transport policy.
Apart from conferring on operators the right to operate unhindered, the licence can also be used to take loans from the bank.
The document, which is transferable and sellable, has a flat value of N100,000 but was being issued free of charge.
Presenting the licences to operators in Ikeja, Governor Babatunde Fashola said the taxi licensing system was concieved out of the need to properly regulate the taxi business and attend to serious safety issues.
He said that cases of criminals using cabs to perpetrate serious crimes were rampant in recent times and the new licences were a step to check the problem.
Fashola said the licences, apart restoring order to taxi operations, would also provide economic support to operators as the document could be sold or used to obtain loans from the banks.
“We need to be clear why we are issuing these licences. In many parts of the world where I have been, one of the safest places where you can find women, adults and children is the taxis.
“Once you enter a taxi in those parts of the world, you are safe. The reason is very simple: In all those places, those who run taxis are known people; they are professionals, they have identity, they cannot disappear.
“So if you are looking for a child and they say he entered taxi A or B, they will find the child because they know the driver, because they have the data of all operators.
“ So, at this time of national and global security challenges, we cannot afford to be left behind, so we are issuing the licences not just for business, the most important part of it is safety.
“What this means is that if you enter a licenced taxi in the state, just know that you are safe and it also means patronising unregistered cabs means putting one’s safety in jeopardy, “ he said.
Fashola said the licences were necessarily carrying the pictures, names and addresses of holders for security considerations.
He said that the fingerprints of all carriers embossed on the licences were verifiable on the state’s database and were also means to respond to security issues.
The governor said the new taxi licensing system was to further boost the status of Lagos as an emerging model megacity where cabs run efficiently with minimal security concerns.
Highlighting the economic benefits of the new taxi policy system, the governor said the system sought to professionalise the business and make it more rewarding for operators.
He explained that the new licence could be used as collateral to obtain loans from the banks and negotiate vehicle prices.
The governor said that the new licence could be sold by holders for a good sum in the future as it would work as a document with an appreciating value.
He said the document was transferable as it could be inherited and used by the holders’ children.
Fashola, however, said operators whose vehicles were not older than 12 years old and were in good condition were being issued the document
The Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Kayode Opeifa, on his part, said the licences were devised to revolutionise taxi business in the state.
Opeifa said the benefits of the licences were numerous to the state, the operators and the general public.
The commissioner said that the licencing meant more organisation, more confidence in the taxi system as well as better business for operators.
He explained that the document would not be issued three years after 2015, and that the essence was to create more value for the document.
“Under the new taxi policy, taxis are now allowed to carry adverts and they could wait at bus stops to take passengers unhindered,” he said.
He urged operators to tap the potential of the new taxi policy and licensing system to improve their businesses.
The President, Lagos State Taxi Driver/Cabs Operators Association, Mr Tajudeen Adetoro, thanked the government for the licensing initiative.
He, however, urged the government to do its best to ensure that the promise that the licence would improve their busineses was fulfilled.
Our correspondent reports that new road signs designed by the state to ban horning in libraries ,hospitals and areas close to important government buildings, were also unveiled at the occasion.
Business
NASS Engages Agric Minister On Food Crisis
The National Assembly through its joint committee on Agriculture Production Services and Rural Development has engaged the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari on an urgent solution to food inflation bedeviling the country.
The committee chaired by Senator Saliu Mustapha (APC Kwara Central), at an interface with the Minister, interrogated him on plans being put in place to arrest high cost of food prices in the country and make it affordable and available to the poor masses.
In his response, the Minister said the Federal Government has commenced distribution of 42,000 metric tonnes of grains to some focal points of state capitals nationwide.
“We have received directive and approval from Mr. President to distribute for immediate impact 42,000 metric tons of assorted grains free of charge to the Nigerian population.
“This was received in mid-February, as we are speaking, we have a record of the distribution being carried out, but I will want to plead with the honorable house and distinguished senators that some of the movements can’t be made public but a lot of states have started receiving their grains.
“We are distributing to state capitals in the first instance as you all are aware of the risk involved in the vandalism of foodstuff so we are working with the office of the national security adviser and other national security agencies.
“Furthermore, 58,500 metric tonnes of milled rice from mega rice millers will also be released into the market for stabilisation”, he said.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after the interactive session, Senator Mustapha expressed satisfaction with the steps being taken by the federal government.
He said: “From our interactive session, we are on the other side of the parliament; we are fully in the picture of what is happening, we are convinced that the steps being taken by the federal government are in the right direction.
“All we did again is to further emphasise on the need for certain things to be done on time, I think from this collaborative approach by the grace of God, Nigerians will have a better feel of the government policy on food security”.
Business
Obj Harps On Cheap Credit, Policy Consistency For Food Production
Nigeria’s former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has called on the government to provide cheap credit and ensure policy consistency to enable farmers increase food production in the country.
The former President made the call as food inflation and nutrition security concerns grow in Africa’s most populous country.
Obasanjo’s made the call at the 9th Agrofood & Plastprintpack conference in Lagos recently, where he said farmers in the country were yearning for consistency in policy and single-digit interest loans to drive growth in the sector and attain food security.
“Policy sustainability and predictability is what farmers want. It helps them to plan. Availability of finance is also what farmers want. They cannot survive on the double digital interest rate”, Obasanjo, who is also a farmer, said at the conference.
According to him, food and nutrition security start with availability, then affordability by ensuring that everyone who needs food can get it.
He noted that food was one of the major imperatives in life, adding that “there cannot be food without agriculture and agribusiness”.
Obasanjo further stressed the importance of agriculture in changing the fortunes of the economy, with attendant exponential gains by way of earnings, employment, food security and other spin-offs.
He noted that agriculture must be made attractive to the country’s teeming youth population, saying this would address the rising unemployment, worsening insecurity and youth migration through the Mediterranean.
“We have to make agriculture attractive to the youths. We have to think within and outside the box to make it attractive to the youths so they are willing to get their hands dirty and feet wet”, he advised.
He continued that “Part of the security issue is owing to our inability to get them engaged. The need for agro-food and agribusiness is for food security, employment, wealth creation and income generation, particularly foreign exchange”.
Speaking also, Wouter Plom, the ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, said his country had faced challenges similar to those Nigeria confronts – feeding a growing population with limited resources.
He said as partners with a joint vision, the Netherlands and Nigeria recognise that the agricultural sector was one of the prominent drivers for economic growth.
He noted that the Netherlands has further strengthened its partnership with Nigeria to boost the agriculture sector in three main areas- economic growth, improved diets and youth employment.
The ambassador noted that all the challenges in driving growth through the sector, improving diets and tackling unemployment can be addressed when food production is efficient.
Paul Maerz, Managing Director of Fairtrade Messe, said with more investment in agro-food & plastprintpack solutions, products and technologies, brighter days were ahead for Nigeria’s agriculture.
Business
Abuja Farmers, Others Lose N12bn To Ginger Disease
The Federal Government, has confirmed the outbreak of ginger blight epidemic in four States in Nigeria, saying ginger farmers have lost over N12 billion due to the disease.
The government disclosed this at the inauguration of the National Ginger Blight Epidemic Control Taskforce in Abuja, revealing that the fungal disease had inflicted significant damage on ginger farms in Kaduna, Nassarawa Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Abdullahi, said the blight had caused billions of naira in losses, impacting not only the livelihoods of farmers, but also Nigeria’s position as the world’s second-largest ginger producer.
“Our preliminary estimates suggested that affected farmers in southern Kaduna lost over N12bn.
“Furthermore, considering that over 85 per cent of Nigeria’s ginger cultivation occurs in this region, we can safely assume a substantial loss of cultivated land, potentially exceeding 70 per cent of total land”, he stated.
Abdullahi, however, stated that the Federal Government through the National Agricultural Development Fund would launch a N1.6bn recovery package for affected farmers in ginger-producing areas.
He said the ginger blight epidemic served as a stark reminder of the importance of preparedness in safeguarding agricultural resources, adding that by investing in research, extension services and farmer support systems, “we can build a more sustainable future for our agricultural sector”.
On his part, the Chairman of the task force committee, Abubakar Abdullahi, said there was no doubt that the blight on ginger had negatively affected the Gross Domestic Product earnings from this subsector.
“It is of necessity and great urgency that various subcommittees are put in place to forestall these negative effects”, he stated.
Abdullahi assured the minister of the commitment of the team to salvage the situation, as he pleaded with the minister to give the committee the power to co-opt members that would add value to the task force to discharge their duties efficiently and effectively.
-
Politics4 days ago
Impeachment: Edo CJ Raises Panel To Investigate Allegations Against Dep Gov
-
News4 days ago
Federal Lawmakers Kick Against Extension Of Rivers LG Chairmen’s Tenure
-
News2 days ago
Police Prosecute 29,052 Cases, Secure 16,200 Convictions In One Year
-
Politics2 days ago
Senegal: Faye Set To Become Youngest Elected African President As Rival Concedes Defeat
-
News11 hours ago
Mba Seeks Closer Synergy To Check Road Accidents
-
Sports6 hours ago
Chelsea Coach Sues For End To Jeering By Fans
-
Business4 days ago
Nigeria’s Public Debt Hits N97.3trn – DMO
-
News4 days ago
I’ll Dedicate My Birthday To Nation-Building, No Celebrations -Tinubu