Business

Vulcanising Business Booms In Rivers

Published

8 years ago

April 13, 2018

Some vulcanisers in Rivers State say repair of all kinds of tyres was booming in the state. They disclosed that they make between N25,000 and N30,000 per week.
The vulcanisers said monies come from repair of tubeless tyres, tubes, rims changing of old tyres to new ones and gauging of deflated tyres.
Secretary of the Vulcanisers’ Association of Nigeria, Rivers State, Mr. Sopirinye Halliday at Rumuola, Port Harcourt, said that the work was lucrative.
Halliday explained that vulcanisers earn moe money in patching tyres of articulated vehicles than those of smaller vehicles.
He maintained that to patch a Mercedes Benz 608 mini-lorry or buses tyres costs N600 per hole, while those of trailers and tankers cost N1,500 per patch.
The artisan told The Tide that those of cars, tricycles and mini-buses whether tubeless or tubes costs N500 per patch, while gauging and pumping of types cost N100 per tyre.
“In this vulcanizing business, I have been able to buy a plot of land and I am married with four children. I have been in this job for the past 25 years and make about N60,000 weekly, especially on the days I vulcanize big tyres,” he said.
He said he used to make about N10,000 to N15,000 a week because he had no equipment for big tyres.
Halliday advised upcoming vulcanisers that the secret of the job was patience, good site and human relations.
Also lending credence, a vulcaniser at slaughter axis of Port Harcourt, Mr. Chinedu Amuramu said that he could make N20,000 on a weekly basis because he worked more on tricycles’ tyres and that of tankers, saying that his workshop was within the tricyle riders’ park.
According to him, patching a tricycle tyre goes for N500 or N600 and for mini-bus tyres and every other vehicle is between N1,000 and N1,200.
However Mr. Emmanuel Anietie, at trailer Park, Onne, said that the business was not a fast growing business especially during rainy season. Anietie pointed out that with good character, customers could call them from anywhere within the town to come to their aid whenever they had problems with their tyres.
As he puts it, “I leave my workshop at least twice a week on distress call from my customers and I charge N1,500 for such bail-out calls. Though, it was not easy initially because of the hazardous nature of the job, as at then I could only make N3,000 to N5,000 a day, “ he said.
Another vulcaniser at Lagos Bus Stop, Chris Amadi said that the only challenge facing the business was multiple taxes especially from the Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA). Amadi appealed to the agency to reduce the levy, adding that they feed their families from the job.
As he puts it, “we do not have shops and for that, RIWAMA is not supposed to collect such amount of between N1,000 and N1500 from us, they should allow us to pay less than that annually instead of the stipulated sum of N1,500, he said.
Amadi further said that he made between N15,000 to N20,000 on weekly basis as against his earning of N8,000 to N12,000 last year.
He, however, attributed the boom to the rehabilitation of the bad roads in his area of jurisdiction which made motorists to ply through his workshop.

Bethel Toby

Business

Boat Mishap Kills Pastor, Wife And Church Members In Brass Water

Published

4 days ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

A boat accident in Bayelsa state has killed a serving Pastor, Wife and other church members along Brass waterways

The sad incident happened at Odioama in Brass local government area of Bayelsa State when the Pastor, wife and members of his church were in a programme.

?Tide confirmed that the lifeless body of the Pastor’s wife has been found and deposited in a mortuary while the remains of her husband ,the Pastor is yet to be recovered

as search party are still ongoing.

Although the real cause of the boat Mishap is not yet known as at the time of this report, our Correspondent gathered that the identities of the Pastor, wife and church members were not disclosed to the public.

The mishap, Tide gathered occurred on Friday morning when the church members were on a boat transit

The Bayelsa State government and the state police command are yet to issue official statement’s on the sad accident

By: CHINEDU WOSU

Business

Rivers Workers Seek Scrapping Of Contributory Pension Scheme

Published

4 days ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Council of Nigeria Civil Service Union has called on the State Government to urgently scrap the contributory pension scheme, describing it as unfavourable to long-serving civil servants in the state.

Chairman of the union, Chukwuka Osuma, said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt, recently.

Osuma said the current pension structure has continued to worsen post-retirement hardship for workers.

He noted that the contributory pension scheme had failed to provide adequate retirement security for workers who had spent many years in service, especially those approaching retirement age.

According to him, civil servants who had served for more than 20 years were among the worst affected under the scheme, insisting that many retirees could no longer cope with prevailing economic realities.

He also informed that the Union has made moves to showcase their concerns, pleading with Governor Siminalayi Fubara to abolish the pension policy and introduce a more favourable arrangement for affected workers.

“The union was not opposed to pension reforms, the contributory scheme should only apply to newly employed workers or those with fewer years in service”, he said.

Osuma explained that workers who had already spent decades in the civil service ought to remain under a more secure pension structure capable of guaranteeing stability after retirement.

The labour leader further noted that inflation and the rising cost of living had continued to erode the value of retirement savings, thereby increasing the suffering of pensioners across the country.

He also appealed to the state government to consider extending the years of service in the civil service from 35 to 40 years and the retirement age from 60 to 65 years.

Osuma argued that such adjustment had become necessary in view of present-day economic realities and changing conditions in the workplace.

The unionist also reviewed that similar policies had already been adopted in some sectors and jurisdictions, expressing optimism that the State could also implement the reforms for the benefit of workers.

He however, commended Governor Fubara for approving an N85,000 minimum wage for workers in the state, noting that the amount was above the national benchmark of N70,000.

Osuma also acknowledged the government’s efforts in the area of workers’ promotions and bonuses, but insisted that pension reforms and extension of years of service remained critical to the long-term welfare and stability of civil servants in Rivers State.

By: King Onunwor

Business

FG Begins South-West Tour To Promote New Cooperative Bank

Published

1 week ago

May 13, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Government has launched the South-West zonal engagement and ministerial advocacy tour on the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria share capital mobilisation, sensitisation and cooperative sector digitalisation.

Reports say the initiative was launched through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

According to reports, the advocacy tour, organised by the ministry’s Federal Department of Cooperatives, began on Monday in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security and Supervising Minister of Cooperative Affairs, Dr Aliyu Abdullahi, said the initiative was part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Abdullahi described the exercise as a strategic effort to reposition the cooperative sector as a key driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity.

“Today represents a defining moment in our collective determination to reposition the cooperative sector as a major driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity,” he said.

The minister noted the modern cooperative movement in Nigeria originated in the South-West following the 1934 Strickland Report, which led to the enactment of the Cooperative Societies Ordinance of 1935.

According to him, the decision to commence the sensitisation and share capital mobilisation tour in the region is symbolic, as it marks a return to the roots of cooperative development in the country.

Abdullahi said the advocacy tour was a direct outcome of resolutions reached at the 8th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Cooperative Affairs held in Abuja in March 2026.

He said the council approved the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme, a comprehensive framework designed to strengthen the cooperative sector and align it with the administration’s goal of building a one-trillion-dollar economy.

“The reform programme focuses on seven strategic pillars, including governance reforms, cooperative financing and the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria, digitalisation, capacity building, value chain development, inclusion of youths, women and persons with disabilities, and strategic partnerships,” he said.

He said the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria and the digitalisation of the cooperative sector were the two major transformational initiatives under the programme.

“The Cooperative Bank of Nigeria is aimed at rebuilding a strong cooperative financial system capable of supporting cooperators, farmers, artisans, traders, SMEs, youths, women and persons with disabilities with accessible and affordable financial services,” he said.

Abdullahi emphasised that the proposed bank would be government-enabled but not government-funded.

“Government is not establishing the bank as an owner, nor will it rely on Treasury Single Account funds.

“The role of government through the FMAFS is to provide policy support, stakeholder coordination, regulatory facilitation and an enabling environment under the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme,” he said.

Also speaking, the Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to cooperative sector transformation.

She described cooperatives as critical tools for promoting inclusive growth, grassroots productivity, food security, financial inclusion and community wealth creation.

Ambrose-Medebem said Lagos State would continue to support reforms and collaborate with stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme (2025–2030).

“Together, let us build a cooperative ecosystem that is modern, transparent, digitally enabled, financially inclusive and globally competitive.

“Let us build cooperatives that not only mobilise savings, but also mobilise prosperity,” she said.