By Femi Ogunshola

A Chinese auto manufacturing company, FAW Trucks on Thursday unveiled its innovative and rugged trucks designed for difficult terrains to Nigeria’s thriving market.

Mr Allen Lee, Chief Representative, FAW Truck at the product unveiling in Abuja said Nigeria as the largest market in Africa, is an enticing destination for Chinese brands.

He said FAW recognised Nigeria’s dynamic and rapidly developing economy, adding that this was why the company officially introduced their products in Abuja.

According to him, one of the major roadblocks to transportation in Nigeria is the poor road conditions, particularly during the rainy season.

” In the past, journeys from Lagos to Kano could take up to 15 days due to road conditions, but FAW Trucks has now introduced trucks designed specifically for African roads.

“These vehicles can efficiently navigate rough terrain and cut down the Lagos to Kano journey to just a few days, making transportation more efficient and reliable.”

He said the Trucks have actively addressed the challenges faced by consumers in Nigeria, providing a solution to the transportation dilemma.

Lee said the company’s focus is on fast service, which adapts to Nigeria’s unique market demands.

He said in alignment with global trends and the shift towards sustainable energy sources, FAW Trucks was considering a transition from fossil fuel to more eco-friendly alternatives.

“This transition is not limited to Nigeria but extends to their operations in China, where they have been a key player in the automotive industry for the past 15 years.

He said the company is committed to producing vehicles with a long useful life, ensuring a lifespan of over 10 years.

Mr Johnson Zhu, an exclusive agent for FAW Trucks in Nigeria, highlighted the unique proposition of a two-year guarantee period for customers, providing peace of mind for buyers.

According to him, considering the long-term prospects in Nigeria, FAW Trucks is contemplating the establishment of a manufacturing plant in Abuja.

“The company has already set up a factory in Ikeja, Lagos, and plans to extend its presence to the northern part of Nigeria to support the region’s growing population.”

Also speaking, Alhaji Yusuf Usman, President, National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), called for the free flow of transportation system to enable its members key into the new service.

“The current government is trying to bring a lot of innovation and the Ministry of Works is also helping in using concrete to build our roads.

“The launch of FAW Truck is very apt and our members will key into it, it is high time we kept away those rickety trucks, “he said.

FAW is a diversified maker of quality light, medium, and heavy-duty trucks, automobiles, municipal buses and luxury tourist coaches among others.(NAN)

Edited by Joseph Edeh

By Blessing Odega

The Federal Ministry of Justice, in collaboration with Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC), has inaugurated a joint task force to checkmate energy theft and other related offences.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the task force was named: Special Investigation and Prosecution Task Force on Electricity Offences (SIPTEO).

Speaking at the occasion on Thursday in Jos, Managing Director of JEDC, Mr Abdu Mohammed, said it would help bring to the barest minimum the issues of massive revenue leakages and investment losses resulting from energy theft and vandalism of electrical assets.

Mohammed noted that in spite of having a metering penetration of 240,000, those on prepaid meters represented 35 per cent of the company’s entire customer base, with an expected monthly revenue of N2.5 billion.

He, however, said that the company only made N1.4 billion monthly from prepaid customers, adding that 50 per cent of its collection was lost to energy theft.

According to him, the act undermines the company’s efforts at ensuring efficient service delivery.

Mohammed said that in 2021, the company spent N7, 298,134 on critical infrastructure upgrade, with the intent to improve reliability and safety of services.

He, however, said that the assets had come under relentless wave of attacks by vandals, notwithstanding their benefits to communities.

The managing director said that the company had expended between N400 million and N500 million on fixing and replacing vandalised transformers in 2023.

“This is clearly a double jeopardy for the company. While the company’s revenue is being massively depleted by vandalism and energy theft, the little that trickles in is expended on repair and replacement of the assets wrecked by vandals,” he said.

Earlier, the Board Chairman of JEDC, Alhaji Adamu Wakil, said that the initiative was laudable, as it would help clamp down energy theft and revenue loss.

NAN reports that the company had said that vandalism (theft of electricity lines and materials) attracts three to five years imprisonment and energy theft (meter tampering, bypass, hooking and intentional damage of electricity infrastructure) between six months and three years imprisonment.

Similarly, the offence of receiving stolen electricity attracts a penalty of 14 years imprisonment, while obstruction of JEDC staffers in the discharge of their duties attracts six years imprisonment or N2 million fine.

NAN also reports that various military and para-military agencies pledged their support in the fight against energy theft via provision of logistics. (NAN)

Edited by ‘Wale Sadeeq

By Chiazo Ogbolu

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, has intercepted donkey skins, vehicles and others worth N1.24 billion in October.

The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Hussein Ejibunu, said this at a news conference on Tuesday in Lagos.

Ejibunu said the donkey skins from Kaduna were intercepted along Onigari in Ibadan South Western part of the country.

He noted that the 730 sacks of hide and skin hidden was intercepted in a 1×40 container equivalent to 5,033 pieces.

Ejibunu noted that the unit had resolved to protect the Nigeria’s economy by enforcing the anti-smuggling laws in an uncompromising manner.

He added that they had deployed improved logistics supplied by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, to achieve this feat as being reflected in the seizures made.

Ejibunu said intelligence reports gathered over the years indicated higher degree of desperation by economic saboteurs to smuggle during the yuletide periods, but the unit is up to the task.

“I want to state that this unit of the service under my watch will make the remaining part of 2023 and beyond tough for smugglers in the interest of our country.

“We are ready to intercept them and frustrate their antics of concealment, illegal route passage, false declaration and under declaration.

“We are also determined to implement all the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, including the various penalties attached to offences while striving to ensure that perpetrators face the full wrath of the laws,” he said.

Ejibunu noted that their continuous quest to prevent revenue loss through various infraction such as under-valuation under-payments, and wrong classification, the sum of N115.5 million was collected following the issuance of demand notices to defaulters.

He pointed out that rice had been a recurring commodity in their list of seizures across various borders in the southwest zone.

Ejibunu said they were able to seize a total of 7,383 units of 50kg for bed rice from smugglers which amount to almost 13 trailer loads of rice

“A total of 17 vehicles were also seired from smugglers who wanted to circumvent the law by evading duty payment. For the avoidance of doubts, the ban on vehicle importation through land borders subsists.

“Our officers also intercepted 593 jerrycans (14,825 litres) of premium motor spirit Because of the volatility of this product, we have safely disposed of them in line with laid down due process,” he said.

He noted other seizures to include 657 pieces of used tyres, 167 (202 kg) parcels of hemp, 39 bales of second hand-clothing, 100 packs of tomato ketchup, 4 units of used motorcycle and 600 cartons of GIV soap.

Ejibunu said that nine suspects involved in the act were arrested, numerous others were undergoing trial in the court of which they had gotten victory in some cases .

The customs boss appealed to all well-meaning and patriotic Nigerians to continue to support the unit with credible information that would assist in battling economic sabotage.

“I also urge members of the press to always support us by using their position to discourage smuggling and any act that contravenes the customs law,” he said. (NAN)

Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

By Tosin Kolade

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has vowed to deal decisively with any of its staff members caught extorting money from enrollees for their National Identification Number (NIN).

The NIMC Acting Director-General, Mrs Abisoye Coker-Odusote, made this known during an unscheduled visit to the FCT office of the commission on Tuesday.

She said the commission would not tolerate continued acts of extortion from its members, and harassment of Nigerians, saying all enrollment was free.

According to her, modifications in signatures, enrollment errors and Date of Birth should be paid through bank remittances of N500 and N15,000 respectively, noting that all other enrollment should not be paid for.

She said data is a critical infrastructure and should be treated as a national asset, saying modifications of any information would only be allowed if made with sworn affidavits.

The acting D-G however advised Nigerians to report incident of extortion or harassment in the course of their enrollment to its offices.

“So regarding extortion, NIN is free in Nigeria, there is no reason why you should pay for enrollment, It is free. If you call me or give anybody money or you go to any of the NIMC offices, you are adding to the problem.

“You know if we all keep saying it, we have to be better, Let’s also practice it as Charity begins at home, if there’s any issue, go to the website.

“There are channels there for you to escalate the matter. I am actually getting that feedback directly myself and addressing it”.

Coker-Odusote said the commission had cleared over 2.5 million backlog of modifications, saying all issues delaying the processing of national identity cards for Nigerians would be addressed within two weeks.

On the challenges of broken down and outdated systems, slow network connectivity and others, she said all issues were being addressed, saying the Renewed Hope agenda of this present administration would reposition data management in the country.

The FCT NIMC Coordinator, Mrs Ndi Awan, spoke about the uncomfortable working environment, slow network connectivity and activities of touts around the premises.

“Our challenge is many but let me talk about the issue of poor network, we usually find it difficult to upload biometrics of enrollment.

“We are also short-staffed, our officers are not enough to handle the number of people coming in, this makes the system and process slow”.

She said the commission would continue to play its part in providing a secured and universally recognised identity management system for Nigeria.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that during the visit, one staff was apprehended for extorting N25,000, while another person posed as an enrollee, deceiving unsuspecting people about helping them with NIN registration. (NAN)

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

By Tosin Kolade

WaterAid, an international non-governmental organisation, has called on all tiers of government to provide interventions to help communities mitigate the impact of climate change on water supply in the country.

WaterAid’s Chief Executive Officer, Tim Wainwright, who made the call at a news conference on Tuesday in Abuja, said it was time to shift attention to those most affected by climate crisis.

According to him, no one can be resilient to climate change if he does not have access to water, saying that adaptation strategies must be prioritised by all levels of government.

“We are seeing the impact of climate change and the impact of climate change on the human race is principally through water, either too much or too little, so we see droughts.

“We see flooding; we see sea level rise; we see we see the groundwater levels dropping to dangerously low levels; so, it is a huge issue.

“ It is a big risk; and it is getting bigger all the time with climate change.

“The impact is getting stronger and it is hitting the parts of the world– the countries in the world that did the least to cause climate change.

“So, we see that it is fundamental to do more work on adapting to climate change, building the resilience of communities; nobody can be resilient to climate change if they do not have access to water,’’ he said.

He said Nigeria must do more to strengthen its sanitation systems as flood occurrences could cause huge risks could if there was poor sanitation systems.

The chief executive officer said to tackle the challenges posed by climate change, it was crucial to ensure access to water for all.

He said resilience in the face of climate change hinged on the ability to secure the fundamental resource, adding that with the rise in urbanised communities, demand for clean water and efficient sanitation systems was growing.

Wainwright said WaterAid’s vision was for a resilient future in Nigeria and to inspire effort to address the pressing water and sanitation challenges.

He said his visit coincided with a significant milestone for WaterAid Nigeria, which recently unveiled a Country Programme Strategy to improve access to Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services for 10 million people.

Wainwright commended Nigeria’s commitment to addressing WASH challenges and recognised climate change as a significant threat to this essential right.

He emphasised WaterAid’s dedication to mobilising sustainable solutions and funding through the Resilient Water Accelerator project– all aimed at ensuring that communities have secure and sustainable access to water and sanitation.

On her part, Evelyn Mere, Country Director of WaterAid Nigeria, expressed her enthusiasm for the visit, emphasising the opportunity it presented to advance the advocacy for safe, inclusive, and sustainable WASH access in Nigeria.

She underscored the far-reaching impact of climate change, not only on jeopardisiing access to clean water, but also threatening industrial and commercial water usage vital to businesses, productivity, and livelihoods.

“WaterAid’s visit to Nigeria is not just a working visit; it is a testament to the organisation’s unwavering commitment to securing a more resilient and water-secure future, both in Nigeria and beyond.

“As the world grapples with the challenges of climate change, initiatives like this bring hope and promise to vulnerable communities striving to withstand the impacts of a changing world, “Mere said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Wainwright, and Chair of WaterAid Board, Andrew Green, are embarking on a working visit to the country from Nov. 6 to Nov.10. (NAN)

Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo