Business

Mechanised Agric, Key Sector For Nation’s Economy

Published

16 years ago

June 30, 2009

Mechanised Agriculture has been identified as one of the key sectors capable of sustaining the nation’s economy if properly harnessed.
Nigeria,s first Lady and wife of the president, Hajiya [Dr.] Turia Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, made the observation Monday during the official flagging – off and lunching of the 2009 cropping season for the Nigerian women in the southern part of the country held at Okpara Square, Enugu.
According to her, no economy can record meaningful feat without agriculture, hence the Yar’Adua led federal government places much emphasis on the sector, stressing the need for the country to always give mechanised farming serious attention it deserved.
She therefore, explained that the southern lunching exercise which was coming less than one week that of the Northern part of the country took place in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory was a genuine attempt designed to empower Nigerian women in agriculture, adding that provision of the farm implements being made available to the women at a subsidise rate would also go a long way in enhancing food security in the country.
The First Lady, however, called on all and sundry to always support women farmers especially those that are into mechanized farming, pointing out that agriculture, as being encapsulated in the federal government’s 7-point agenda would continue to receive adequate attention of the Federal Government.
Her words: “It is worth mentioning here that women are responsible in carrying out greater percentage of agricultural labour and about 60 per cent food processing activities, they still have access to less than 20 per cent agricultural inputs being distributed nation wide”, saying such situation remains a serious challenge and impediment on the side of the women towards contributing having food security in the nation.
“I salute your efforts, encouragement and determination for actively participating in the socio- economic growth of the nation”, she further stressed.
While welcoming the women to the ceremony which was attended by governor’s wives from the 17 southern states of the federation, Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State, commended the First Lady for her effort in encouraging Nigerian women to embrace farming, disclosing that his administration places much emphasis on agriculture.
He made it clear that agriculture was one of his administration’s 4-point agenda, assuring that the state government would continue to encourage and support every genuine agricultural programme in the state.
Earlier in her brief speech, wife of the host governor, Mrs. Clara Chime who led other South-East governors’ wives to the well- attended event noted that despite the fact that majority of the southern people are subsistence farmers, their efforts are not recognized by government , pointing out that, about 70 per cent of all agricultural activities are done by rural women The Enugu State First Lady, however, regretted that despite the tremendous role played by women in the agricultural sector, they have continued to face a scores of obstacles, especially in the southern states of the country, listing some of such barriers to include lack of access to better technology of production and processing machines, non allocation of marginal lands to women, among others, pointing out that better ones are reserved for men in the country.
The occasion was graced by several women farmers’ groups, including the Nigerian Council of Women Society, among other women associations in Nigeria.

Business

TTP Trains Customs Agents, Freight Forwarders On Eto App

Published

5 hours ago

May 1, 2025

The Tide

In a concerted effort to tackle racketeering and reduce inflated transportation costs in the Nigeria’s seaports, Trucks Transit Parks Ltd. (TTP) has trained Licensed Customs Agents and Freight Forwarders on the use of its Ètò electronic call-up system.
The training was held recently at Customs Processing Centre (CPC) Auditorium, Apapa, Lagos, in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and supported by the leadership of the Joint Association of Licensed Customs Agents and Freight Forwarders (JALCAFF), Apapa Command.
Speaking at the event, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu expressed appreciation to TTP for facilitating the training and emphasized the need for customs agents to take personal ownership of the Ètò booking process.
“I want to thank TTP for this impactful training. I encourage all customs agents to begin doing their own bookings directly. By doing so, they can take back power from the unscrupulous elements exploiting their lack of knowledge, selling tickets at highly inflated prices,” Olomu declared.
He noted that empowering agents with hands-on training was key to dismantling racketeering networks that have plagued access to the ports and frustrated efficient logistics processes.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Apapa Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Chief Emeka Chukwumalu, said the engagement was critical to the ongoing push to reduce cargo transportation costs and ease business operations at the Apapa Port.
According to a freight forwarder, “The training is basically for us to have awareness of the operations of the Ètò call-up system through TTP. We also want to brainstorm on ways to reduce the high cost of cargo transportation in Apapa Port.
“This training opened our eyes to how simple it is to book tickets ourselves. We now know the right steps to follow and how to avoid falling victim to fraudsters.”
Earlier, Head of Operations at TTP, Mr. Irabor Akonoman, talked on common misconceptions about ticket pricing, reaffirming that the cost of Ètò bookings had remained consistent since its inception.
“The official price remains the same since inception. What people are paying higher amounts for is the manipulation by racketeers”.

Business

NECA Holds MSME Fair To Drive Growth

Published

5 hours ago

May 1, 2025

The Tide

Towards strengthening small businesses and promoting a more supportive regulatory environment, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) says it will hold the 2025 edition of its flagship MSMEs Fair on Tuesday (May 6, 2025).
The event, themed, “Galvanising MSMEs for Economic Growth and Stability”, will take place at NECA House in Lagos.
According to NECA’s Director-General, Mr Adewale Smatt Oyerinde, the fair seeks to provide micro, small, and medium enterprises with essential tools, resources, and strategic networks to thrive in Nigeria’s challenging business climate.
He emphasised the vital role MSMEs play in national development, describing them as the “lifeblood of Nigeria’s economy.”
Oyerinde noted that the fair is designed to offer entrepreneurs practical solutions to navigate economic uncertainties, regulatory hurdles, and business scalability issues.
A major attraction of this year’s event is the keynote address by the CEO of FATE Foundation, Mrs. Adenike Adeyemi, a prominent advocate for MSME development.
She is expected to share transformative insights on innovative strategies for sustaining and growing small businesses in Nigeria.
A unique feature of the fair will be interactive sessions with key regulatory bodies. Entrepreneurs will engage directly with agencies responsible for licensing, compliance, taxation, and business registration.
NECA said these sessions aim to demystify bureaucratic processes and foster a more enabling business environment.
It also said the fair will provide a platform for entrepreneurs to exhibit their products and services, connect with potential investors, and explore new markets.
It added that participants would gain critical knowledge on digital transformation, access to finance, and strategies for sustainable business growth.
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· NECA stressed that the fair aligns with its broader mission of promoting enterprise development and economic resilience.
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· “By empowering MSMEs with the right support and information, the organisation aims to stimulate job creation, innovation, and long-term economic stability”, NECA said.
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· The 2025 MSMEs Fair is expected to attract a wide range of stakeholders, including financiers, tech experts, regulators, and industry leaders, all united in advancing the growth of Nigeria’s MSME sector.

Business

Over 2m Passengers Board Blue Rail Train – Commissioner

Published

6 hours ago

May 1, 2025

The Tide

The Lagos State Commissioner for Transport, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, says over two million passengers have been transported on the Blue Line Rail since its launch, while state-run buses move an average of 42,000 commuters daily.
Osiyemi, who disclosed this during the Year 2025 Ministerial press briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, on Tuesday, noted that the Lagos State Transport Policy, launched in May 2024, was now in its implementation phase, focusing on inclusivity, safety, affordability, and sustainability.
“On rail development, Phase One of the Blue Line (Marina to Mile 2) has served over two million passengers, with Phase Two (Mile 2 to Okokomaiko) in progress.
“Phase One of the Red Line (Agbado to Oyingbo) is now operational with eight stations and additional rolling stocks procured, while Phase two (Oyingbo to link Blue Line at National Theatre) is underway”, he said.
The Commissioner said in the state-owned bus operations, over 60 million commuters have been served since 2019, with daily ridership exceeding 40,000.
He also said plans were on to deploy new buses with Quality Bus Corridors under construction, adding that the Abule=Egba Bus Terminal had also been commissioned.
“For water transport, 15 locally-built Omibus Ferries have been launched and are in operation, with the Ijegun Egba Terminal now open.
“The OMI EKO project, in partnership with the French Development Agency (AFD), will deliver 25 terminals and 78 electric ferries.
“Over 280,000 passengers have used ferry services in the past year, and 12 boats have been upgraded to meet safety standards”, he said.
On road infrastructure and traffic management, the Commissioner said 49 junction improvement projects had been completed, including ongoing ones at Ikorodu, Iju, as well as Allen-Opebi-Toyin axis.
He added that solar-powered Traffic Signal Lights, road markings covering 67.9km, new medians, laybys, and 3,941 parking lots had also been provided.
Additionally, Osiyemi announced that the deployed Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras had detected over 470,000 traffic violations and that the Vehicle Inspection Service issued over one million roadworthiness certificates.
He also said that the Lagos State Drivers’ Institute trained more than 32,000 drivers in the past 13 months.
The event marked the second anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term, showcasing major strides in the transport sector under the THEMES+ agenda.

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos