Business

Rivers Mot And Vehicle Enumeration

Published

16 years ago

October 23, 2009

The seriousness of correct statistics, data or databank in development activities, appraisals and projections has remained a strong point the world over. It is a matter that is totally beyond compromise in every part of the globe, where men and women of integrity and transparent purpose in leadership positions have vowed to move their people forward. The truth is that there is really nothing a government that truly means well for its people could do in the area of democratic planning and development, without the availability of accurate records and data on the different economic activities of its people. For a government to realise any worthwhile revenue in taxation, the importance of correct census figures of its men, women and children as well as private and corporate business operators and activities must be given the attention it deserves. This is applicable to election matters, and the number of primary, secondary and tertiary educational institutions to be built in different parts of a state. These issues cannot be dealt with in the absence of development statistics. The same scenario also applies to the unemployment status of a state or nation vis – a – vis available employment opportunities and the usually critical need to create more job chances.

Indeed, a situation where those in positions of authority work without any form of statistics or data on the development needs of their people in the areas of election, taxation and general infrastructural development is a fundamental explanation why development efforts have remained in a state of total disarray, over the years in parts of Nigeria and indeed the underdeveloped world. Hence, correct data provision and its uncompromised application to development policies and programmes of government is as critical as it is indispensable, if Nigerians must not continue to live in conditions of underdevelopment. The Rivers State Ministry of Transport (MOT) Commercial Vehicle Enumeration or Registration exercise is one of the development-prone efforts of the present administration expected to achieve a correct data of all categories of commercial vehicles in the state. The importance of such data cannot be over-emphasised in transport related-development initiatives of government. The pressure of vehicles on available infrastructure such as roads and parks in the state even makes the exercise more imperative. It would also assist government in embarking on appropriate expansion of transport infrastructures in the states for the good of the people.

At the end of the day, the data so collected from the exercise could be used to know how many vehicles operate in different parts of Port Harcourt and the entire state as well as the true identity of their owners and operators up to where they live as well as their villages, communities and states. Such data would definitely make it difficult for criminals to take to commercial vehicle business in Rivers State.

It would also enhance transport related tax computations and reduce the problems of tax evation because transportation is one single business activity that appears to have the largest operators, who for many years have remained elusive when the state is in need of their correct statistics for development plans and projections. Moreover, such data could also enable govermnent to eventually make touting become extinct in the state. This is because, if the state has correct data on transport operators in the different zones of the state capital and other parts of the state, there would be no need for any agency of government to employ the task force element in its tax activities in the sector. In an overall sense, the data collection process would make every other dealings with transporters in the state a lot easier in the years to come. Transport operators should therefore be strongly reminded that the era of task- forcing and touting is gradually being phased out in Rivers State, because the task -force system in our tax programmes has done more harm than good to the image of state governments across the country.

And it should be pointed out that when the idea of Commercial Vehicle Enumeration was mooted by the state Transport Ministry, no time was wasted in taking into cognizance the fact that stakeholders such as the National Union of Road Transport Workers must key into the advantages of the exercise for the right impact to be made. With time, the stakeholders talks with the Ministry on the enumeration programme also positively progressed to the need of installing world class taxi roof lights on all taxis, not only in Port Harcourt but the entire state. Beyond the obvious improvement of the aesthetics of the state capital arising from the presence of many taxis with bright roof lights, particularly at night, it would also enable commuters to easily identify a taxi from a distance to flag it down if they need to board one. In the spirit of participatory democracy, the issue of pricing for the registration exercise and the taxi roof light was also openly and actively debated with the unions taking the usual firm stand in the interest of their members”. At the end of the talkshop, an amicable agreement was reached on when both programmes of the state Transport Ministry in conjunction with the National Union of Road Transport Workers and other stakeholders should commence, as well as what should reasonably be paid by each category of commercial vehicle operators for the registration and taxi roof light.

Additionally, the stakeholders at the instance of the ministry also further agreed that all payments be paid into a government designated bank account, contrary to any form of raw cash transactions, which it was noted breeds corruption. Drawing from this people-oriented scenario of public policy implementation as being canvassed. by the present administration, there is no reason whatsoever why any responsible commercial transport operator in Port Harcourt, and indeed the entire state, should not willingly key into the programme of repositioning the fortunes of the transport industry in the state. The state Transport Ministry as the regulator of the industry in the state has also begun.” an intensive media campaign to further enlighten commercial vehicle operators in the state on the importance of the MOT Vehicle Enumeration Exercise and Taxi Roof Light initiative. Coming from such atmosphere of mutual understanding, oneness and trust between the Ministry of Transport and the unions, among other stakeholders, on how to achieve for the state one of the best transport situations in the country, the onus is now squarely on the operators not to drag the state behind and become a cog in the wheel of progress in the transport sector.

It is also well deserving, that the leadership of the National Union of Road Workers and other stakeholders in the industry particularly in Rivers State be commended for their total support and commitment to the laudable efforts of the present administration to provide an efficient, effective and affordable as well as beautiful transport reform programmes for the state. We commend all commercial vehicle operators who have willingly gone to the state Ministry of Transport Office, at Moscow Road, to pay for the registration and the taxi roof light as law abiding citizens, while those who are yet to comply should follow their good example. So far, the ministry, in alliance with the National Union of Road Transport Workers, has established a total of ten commercial vehicle registration centres in Port Harcourt and its environs to make the process easy for commercial vehicle operators in the state. The appeal, therefore, is that they should do well to live up to their promise of sustaining the tempo of co-operation with the state Ministry of Transport to move the transport industry in Rivers State to the next level, for the good of the operators and best corporate image for the government and people of the state.

Onyije is Press Secretary to Rivers State Commissioner for Transport

Dike Onyije

Business

AFAN Unveils Plans To Boost Food Production In 2026

Published

2 days ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

The leadership of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has set the tone for the new year with a renewed focus on food security, unity and long-term growth of the agricultural sector.

The association announced that its General Assembly of Farmers Congress will take place from January 15 to 17, 2026 at the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industries, along Lugbe Airport Road, in the Federal Capital Territory.

The gathering is expected to bring together farmers, policymakers, investors and development partners to shape a fresh direction for Nigerian agriculture.

In a New Year address to members and stakeholders, AFAN president, Dr Farouk Rabiu Mudi, said the congress would provide a strategic forum for reviewing past challenges and outlining practical solutions for the future.

He explained that the event would serve as a rallying point for innovation, collaboration and economic renewal within the sector.

Mudi commended farmers across the country for their determination and hard work, despite years of insecurity, climate-related pressures and economic uncertainty.

According to him, their resilience has kept food production alive and positioned agriculture as a stabilising force in the national economy.

He noted that AFAN intends to build on this strength by resetting agribusiness operations to improve productivity and sustainability.

The AFAN leader appealed to government institutions, private investors and development organisations to deepen their engagement with the association.

He stressed the need for collective action to confront persistent issues such as insecurity in farming communities, climate impacts and market instability.

He also urged members to put aside internal disputes and personal interests, encouraging cooperation and shared responsibility in pursuit of national development.

Mudi outlined key priorities that include increasing food output, expanding support for farmers at the grassroots and strengthening local manufacturing through partnerships with both domestic and international investors adding that reducing dependence on imports remains critical to protecting the economy and creating jobs.

He stated that the upcoming congress will feature the launch of AFAN’s twenty-five-year agricultural mechanisation roadmap, alongside the announcement of new partnerships designed to accelerate growth across the value chain.

Participants, he said wi also have opportunities for networking and knowledge exchange aimed at transforming agriculture into a more competitive and technology-driven sector.

As part of its modernisation drive, AFAN is further encouraging members nationwide to enrol for the newly introduced Digital ID Card.

Mudi said the initiative will improve transparency, ensure proper farmer identification and make it easier to access support programmes and services.

Reaffirming the association’s long-term goal, he said the vision of national food sufficiency by 2030 remains achievable if unity and collaboration are sustained.

He expressed optimism that with collective effort, Nigeria’s agricultural sector can overcome its challenges and deliver a more secure and prosperous future.

Lady Usendi

Business

Industrialism, Agriculture To End Food Imports, ex-AfDB Adviser Tells FG

Published

2 days ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

Former Senior Special Adviser on Industrialisation to the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Professor Banji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka, has urged the Nigerian government to urgently industrialise the agricultural sector as a pathway to food security, economic diversification, and sustainable job creation.

Professor Oyelaran-Oyeyinka made the call while speaking at the Oyo State Economic Summit held at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, during a lecture titled “Industrialising Agriculture for Economic Development and Food Security: Enhancing National Economies and Sub-National Entities.”

He cautioned that despite Nigeria’s vast arable land and its position as a leading global producer of crops such as cassava and yams, the country remains food-deficient and heavily dependent on costly food imports.

He highlighted that Nigeria spends over one trillion naira annually importing wheat, rice, sugar, and fish, a persistent trend that drains foreign exchange, undermines local farmers, weakens industrial competitiveness, and fuels unemployment.

The development economist argued that the solution lay in transforming agriculture from a subsistence activity into a modern, industrial enterprise capable of producing surplus, supporting manufacturing, and driving broad-based economic growth.

He explained that industrialising agriculture does not mean replacing rural communities with factories, but rather empowering farmers with technology, skills, infrastructure, and market access to raise productivity and incomes.

According to Professor Oyelaran-Oyeyinka, Nigeria’s low agricultural productivity reflected deeper structural challenges, including weak education systems, limited skills, and inadequate investment in technology and infrastructure.

He noted that countries that successfully transitioned from low-income to middle-income status did so by modernising agriculture alongside industrial development, creating strong linkages between farms, processing industries, and markets.

Oyelaran-Oyeyinka highlighted stark yield disparities between Africa and Asia, noting that cereal yields across African countries remain less than a third of those achieved in East Asia.

This gap, he said, explains why African economies struggle to compete globally and why industrialisation efforts have stalled.

Professor Oyelaran-Oyeyinka outlined key pillars of agricultural industrialisation, including mechanisation, value addition, integrated supply chains, access to finance, improved seed systems, and targeted investment in human and technological capabilities.

He stressed that farms must be treated as “factories without roofs,” capable of feeding into agro-processing, manufacturing, and export industries.

The visiting professor at The Open University in Milton Keynes said the economic benefits of such a transformation would be far-reaching, including reduced dependence on oil, large-scale job creation, significant foreign exchange savings, and stronger national food security.

Drawing lessons from Vietnam, he described how deliberate agricultural modernisation helped transform the Southeast Asian country from a food importer into one of the world’s leading exporters of rice, coffee, cashew, and seafood.

Vietnam’s agribusiness exports, he said, now generate tens of billions of dollars annually and underpin the country’s wider industrial success.

He attributed Vietnam’s success to consistent policies, heavy investment in agro-processing, strong farmer–industry linkages, and the use of special economic zones to drive value addition and export competitiveness.

Oyelaran-Oyeyinka noted that similar models are emerging in Nigeria, including in Oyo State, but warned that they require reliable infrastructure, policy stability, and empowered governance to succeed.

The professor called on state governments to prioritise power, roads, and logistics, strengthen agricultural extension services, and create efficient special agro-industrial processing zones that attract major domestic and international investors.

He also urged the private sector to view agriculture as a profitable business frontier rather than a social obligation, noting that Nigeria’s future prosperity depended less on oil and more on harnessing the productive potential of its land and people.

“We are a nation that can feed itself and others, yet we remain food-insecure and overly dependent on imports. This paradox is holding back our economy.”

“Industrialising agriculture does not erase our rural roots; it transforms them into engines of productivity, wealth creation and national development.”

“Subsistence agriculture is both a cause and a consequence of technological backwardness, and no country has reached middle-income status without first modernising its agriculture.”

“A farm must be treated as a factory without a roof, connected to processing, logistics, finance and markets. Vietnam shows that agricultural transformation is not accidental; it is the result of deliberate policies that link farmers to industry and global markets.”

“The seeds of Nigeria’s prosperity are not buried in oil wells; they are sown in the fertile soils of our ecological zones,” he said.

Lady Usendi

Business

Cashew Industry Can Generate $10bn Annually- Association

Published

2 days ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

The President of the National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN), Dr Ojo Ajanaku, has said Nigeria could earn $10 billion annually from cashew production, with $3 billion coming from cashew sales alone.

Ajanaku made this known during a press conference organised ahead of the 4th National Cashew Day, scheduled to hold from Jan. 22 to Jan. 24 in Abuja, with the the theme: “Unlocking the Full Potential of Nigeria’s Cashew Industry”.

He said that poor export documentation and weak repatriation of proceeds were causing major losses to the Nigerian economy.

“A substantial volume of cashew exported from Nigeria leaves the country without proper export proceeds forms, as exporters allegedly avoid bringing earnings back into the country,” he said.

He said during the last export season alone, Nigeria reportedly exported over 400,000 tonnes of cashew valued at about $700 million.

Ajanaku noted that deliberate investments in production and processing could unlock far greater potentials.

“If Nigeria produces just two million tonnes of cashew annually, which is achievable in less than five years, and sells at an average of $1,500 per tonne, the country would earn about $3 billion yearly,” he said.

He added that beyond raw cashew exports, enormous value lies in processing and by-products such as Cashew Nut Shell Fluid (CNSF) and cashew cake, which are largely wasted locally.

“In Vietnam, cashew cake alone sells for about 95 cents per kilogram, while in Nigeria processors pay to dispose of it as waste,” he noted.

Ajanaku explained that full local processing of cashew and its by-products could generate not less than $10 billion annually for Nigeria while creating thousands of jobs across the value chain.

He stressed that Nigeria has the production capacity, while countries like Vietnam possess advanced processing technology.

The NCAN President further disclosed that the association is strengthening partnerships with key government institutions, including the Ministry of Finance, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, NEXIM Bank, and other agencies to reposition the sector.

He added that a landmark Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between Nigeria and Vietnam to facilitate technology transfer and deepen cooperation in cashew processing.

He expressed optimism that with sustained government support and effective regulation, the cashew industry could become a major driver of economic growth, foreign exchange earnings, and industrial development in Nigeria.

“Producing states should be given priority. For example, Kogi State, which has the highest cashew production in the country, has no factory. A lot of potentials can come from Kogi State for the country,” he said.

Also speaking, NCAN National Secretary, Augustine Edieme, said strategic plans are being made to showcase Nigeria’s potentials during the 4th National Cashew Day, which he described as a key opportunity to attract bigger investments and investors into the industry.

“We are not just talking about the cashew seeds. We need to crack the fruit shell and discover the value in cashew shells. Industrialisation of the cashew industry is key to driving the Nigerian economy,” he said.

The representative of the Federation of Agricultural Commodity Associations of Nigeria (FACAN), Sunday Ojonugwa, pledged that FACAN would optimally support the cashew association to ensure the sector reaches its full potential.

Lady Usendi