Business
Land Transportation: Operators Call For Regulatory Agency
Players in the transport
sector in the South East have called for an agency to regulate road transport as a measure to reduce the carnage on the roads.
Many of the stakeholders in the South-East, told newsmen yesterday that they were dismayed by the lack of regulations to check entry and exit in the road transport industry as obtained in the other transport sectors.
A cross section of the stakeholders who responded to a survey in Umuahia, expressed the need for the establishment of such an agency to regulate the activities of commercial transport operators in the country.
A commercial bus driver, Mr Augustine Eziyi, said that such an agency would help to regulate the activities of the various transport unions and ensure sanity in the sector.
Eziyi blamed reckless driving, driving under the influence of alcohol, touting on major roads and streets of Umuahia and Aba, among other challenges in the sector, on the absence of control over the operators.
“If there is an agency specifically in charge of land transportation in the country, drivers will be decent and disciplined in their operations,’’ he said.
He also attributed the problem bedeviling the sector to the lack of good education among the drivers, saying that the level of illiteracy was high among the commercial drivers.
Similarly, a senior staff member of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), who spoke to our source on the condition of anonymity, said that the commission was in a good stead to regulate the operations in the land transport sector.
He, however, expressed regret that the commission was hamstrung by the lack of funds to carry out its statutory functions, saying that it could effectively control the consumption of alcohol by drivers while on the wheel, if the resources were available.
In Awka, the Chief Executive Officer of GUO Transport Company, Chief Godwin Okeke, urged the Federal Government to convene a stakeholders’ meeting to sanitise the road transport business.
Okeke said that the road transport sector needed a regulatory body like the air and water sectors.
“A situation where all who have money just come in, buy vehicles and employ unqualified drivers has contributed to the increasing number of accidents being recorded on the high ways.
“This situation has created chaos in the sector. What the Federal Government should do is to bring everybody together in the transport industry in a conference or workshop to make suggestions on how best to sanitise the road transport sector,” Okeke said.
The transporter argued that by so doing, good policies on road transport would be formulated to accommodate the different groups and systems of operation in the country.
He suggested that the government could also boost the road transport sector by improving on the security on the roads, providing easy access to loans and ensuring good roads.
He said that if government tackled the three areas, the transport sector would further give a boost to the employment of youths.
A driver with the ‘God is Good Motors’ in Awka, Mr Tony Okafor, also said that the establishment of a regulatory body would make the road transport business more attractive and reduce touting.
“Anyone who wants to run a transport system will be guided on the required standard for the country, starting from the calibre of drivers, conductors and attendants to employ,” he said.
On his part, the Executive Secretary of ‘Arrive Alive Road Safety Initiative (AARSI)’, an NGO, Mr Ike Okonkwo, urged the government to implement all the road safety rules and regulations, to check the carnage.
Okonkwo decried the current rate of road accidents in the country, saying that advanced countries had reduced road accident to the barest minimum.
“I still wonder why we cannot replicate same here in the country with all the agencies we have on the roads.
“There is a need for the enforcement of the rules, to ensure that everybody complies with them.
Also commenting, Mr Ben Osaka, the Coordinator of the FRSC Special Marshals and Partners in Onitsha, underscored the need for more enlightenment of drivers’ unions, to check the intake of drugs and stimulants among their members.
Osaka also observed that some of the vehicles plying the roads were unserviceable and should be kept out of the roads.
“There is a need for enlightenment, especially for drivers of articulated vehicles, which the FRSC had already started.
“There should also be a ban on the sale of stimulants and alcohol, on the roads and in motor parks.
“The issue of speed limiters in vehicles must be implemented while sloppy areas of any road should have speed breakers and danger signs,’’ he said.
In Abakaliki, the stakeholders called for the establishment of an effective land transport policy to correct the numerous anomalies bedeviling the sector.
They remarked that the numerous challenges which included the carnage on the roads, poor conditions of the roads, and traffic congestion, among others could be prevented with an endearing land transport policy.
Chief Ike Ifediba, the former Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Ebonyi branch, noted that such policy would reduce the carnage.
“Road accidents account for many deaths in Nigeria; an effective road transport policy with appropriate punishments for defaulters, will ensure that motorists obey traffic regulations.
“Incidents such as the recent fuel tanker explosions in the country could have been prevented with such policies, as adequate regulations on all forms of road transportation would ensure sanity on the roads,” he said.
A staff member of the FRSC in Ebonyi who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, noted that such a policy would ensure the adoption of road transport regulations as obtained in developed countries.
“In these countries, there are stipulated periods for articulated vehicles and smaller vehicles to ply the roads which ensure sanity on the roads.
“Such policy, if in existence, would have prevented the fuel tanker carnage in Onitsha and other parts of the country which claimed many lives in broad daylight,” he said.
Mrs Patience Okpo, a commuter, noted that such a policy would ensure that the roads were well maintained to reduce the carnage and check traffic congestion.
“The policy will stipulate adequate regulations which will ensure that the government at all levels provide adequate infrastructure for the people while the commuters will stop acts such as littering and soil mining, among others, which destroy the roads,” she said.
The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) says it has registered 160 Port stakeholders into its Regulated Port Service Provider and Users platform since the initiative began in 2023.
Executive Secretary, NSC, Mr Pius Akutah, made the disclosure on the sideline of a sensitisation programme by the commission for port operators in Lagos, with the theme, “Regulated Port Service Provider and Users”.
Represented by the Director, Consumer Affairs, Chief Cajetan Agu, Akutah emphasised the significance of the programme for stakeholders.
He said the sensitisation programme was the second edition after its commencement during the last quarter of 2023.
The Secretary said the 160 registered port operators consist of agencies, terminal operators, shipping companies, individual port users as well as service providers.
“We invited the ports stakeholders for enlightening them on the processes for online registration of Regulated Port Service Provider and Users.
“We have demonstrated to them how to register and how to make payment and we were able to present before them the various categories of the registration.
“The rate of payment is also in the registration. The payment of each group depends on the operation. A shipper pays N30,000, terminal operators and shipping companies pay N300,000, truckers also pay N30,000, while some pay N50,000 and N100,000.
“The Council was able to intimate them on the benefits, because port users benefit more as we help to interface on reducing port charges from time to time”, Akutah said.
He said that there was a need to continue to work with port operators to stop delays and eliminate high costs to make the port efficient.
Also speaking, the Deputy Director, Stakeholders, Service, NSC, Mr Celestine Akujobi, said “the sensitisation exercise was important for the council to enable us bring all the port stakeholders together”.
According to him, this is to avoid challenges during the implementation of the council’s responsibilities.
“By the time we introduce sanctions on defaulters, no operators will complain that he or she is not aware of the registration.
“I’m happy with the turnout of this sensitisation. This shows that the operators are well informed of the statutory friction of the council as the port regulator.
“The final implementation will commence as soon as we discover that all the operators have keyed into the portal.
“We are engaging other ports across the country and we’re hopeful that before the last quater of 2024, the council will implement sanctions on defaulting operators”, Akujobi said.
Earlier, Vice Chairman, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwards (NAGAFF), Dr Ifeanyi Emoh, said port challenges were enormous, adding that they originated from some of the government agencies.
Emoh urged the council to look into regulating other government agencies, so that there could be a window through which they can collect port charges collectively instead of indiscriminately.
By: Chinedu Wosu
Chivita| Hollandia (CHI Limited) leading fruit juice and value-added dairy manufacturer in Nigeria has rewarded its long standing distributors at the recently held 2024 Distributor Conference. The event with the theme, “Break Boundaries Exceed Expectations” served as a platform to recognise and reward the exceptional contribution of the distributors and wholesalers who play a critical role in Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited) success and business goals for the year.
The Distributor Conference was held in two sessions. While the morning session featured keynote addresses, industry insights and brand immersion experience, the evening session was a cultural display of elegance and funfair that culminated in the award presentation and recognition of the contribution the trade partners made to the company in the 2023 year under review.
A key highlight of the event was the award ceremony which acknowledged outstanding trade partners in various regions across the country. The awards recognized commitment, dedication, and outstanding performance in areas of sales growth, brand promotion, and market expansion.
Eelco Weber, Managing Director, Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited), stated that the company’s success story is incomplete without the strong partnerships it has built with trade partners. “Today, we celebrate not only the achievements, but the collaborative spirit that has made our growth possible” he said.
Bola Arotiowa, Chief Commercial Officer, Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited), in his statement revealed that, the event which was first of its kind will continue to be an annual meeting to enable the company work more closely with its distributors, share insights and action points, help the trade partners familiarize themselves with the company’s goals and objectives for each year, and serve as a driver for mutual success.
“Our distributors are the backbone of Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited). Their relentless efforts in distributing our products, promoting our brands, and expanding our reach across the nation is truly commendable. As the bridge between us and our valued consumers, it is very important to reward their hard work and dedication for being an essential part of the Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited) family. Together, we will continue to deliver great products to our conusmers which in turn will deliver value to them”, Mr. Arotiowa added.
Speaking at the conference, HajiyaBilikisuSaida, Chief Executive Officer of Smabirm Nigeria Limited, who won the Outstanding Distributor of the Year in North 1 region, and got a reward of two million Naira worth of Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited) products expressed delight at the company’s recognition, and stated that the awards served as a way to inspire distributors to do more and put in more effort, which in turn would help both the distributors and the company to grow.
Other outstanding performance distributors of the year rewarded with a two million Naira worth of Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited) stock include, Sunny Chuks Limited for East 1 region, MRS FA & Sons Limited for East 2 region, Hussakas Ventures for North 2 region, Rookee 1388 Ventures for Lagos 1 region, Pik N Pil Ventures for Lagos 2 region, FaithJoe Event Management Limited for West 1 region, and Progress Family Nigeria Enterprise for West 2 region.
The annual Distributors Conference aims to strengthen the bond between Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited) and its trade partners. This collaborative approach fosters mutual growth and ensures the continued success of the brands in the Nigerian market.
A global leader in insurance and asset management, AXA Mansard, has supported three female-owned MSMEs with business grants totaling 1.4 million to boost their operations.
This, the company said, is part of its commitment to women and the Medium, Small, and Medium-scale Enterprise (MSME) sector in the country.
The three businesses were successful at the International Women’s Day Pitch Competition, organised in partnership with SME 100 Africa in Lagos.
According to the Head of Marketing, AXA Mansard, Olusesan Ogunyooye, the competition, which is aimed at supporting female entrepreneurs in Nigeria, “is another way AXA is demonstrating its commitment to the causes of women and stimulating the MSME sector in Nigeria”.
The business pitch competition received numerous entries from women across different sectors, but after a rigorous selection process, shortlisted participants were selected to participate in the competition.
Ogunyooye said “the programme provided a unique opportunity for women from various works and socio-economic classes to showcase their innovative ideas and solutions in sectors such as food, tech, fashion, and fragrance, creating an atmosphere filled with excitement, enthusiasm, and a strong sense of community”.
He stressed the importance of investing in women, saying it is not just the right thing to do, but also aligns with AXA’s purpose of acting for human progress.
He explained that AXA believes the future of women should not be at risk, hence investing in their economic empowerment is a crucial part
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