The Nation Newspaper

Category: Motoring

  • Conference, road safety and national development

    When President Goodluck Jonathan inaugurated the National Conference and gave them the task to accomplish, there were lots of skepticism as to whether the conference can end peacefully or reach any meaningful conclusion. Though Nigerians are still praying for the adoption and implementations of the recommendations of the National Conference, the fact however remains that the National Conference was a huge success and a step in the right direction. There is without doubt, a fresh air in the atmosphere that Nigeria as a nation is heading towards a greater height in true federaralism, unity and peace as a result of the resolutions of the National Conference.

    It is a tru-ism that there are many crises in all the sectors of the Nigerian economy calling for more proactive actions. There are challenges in the Security sector, Health sector, Transport sector, Agricultural sector, Power sector, External Relations, Youth Unemployment, Religious and Tribal crises among others.

    The Success of the recently concluded National Conference is a clear pointer to the fact that unbiased and result-oriented conferences can be used to regularly resolve all the crises in all the sectors facing challenges in Nigeria to foster the growth of the Nigerian economy. The absence of such proactive action is mainly responsible for the non – accomplishment of the Millennium Development Goals and will also make the accomplishment of the Nigerian vision 20:2020 difficult if at all possible.

    For over two years now, I have used several medium to advocate for an annual or at worse biennial National conference on Transportation. This proposed conference is to bring all the Stakeholders, Decision Makers and Observers together to regularly resolve the crises in the sector as well as formulate proactive policies for the coming years.

    There is no doubt about the fact that there are crises between the Federal Road Safety Commission, State Ministries of Transport, Vehicle Inspection Unit, Motor Vehicle Licensing Authorities, Nigeria Police Force, State Traffic Management Agencies, Driving Schools, Local Government Authorities and other Stakeholders in one way or the other, while the rate of road accident and fatalities keep increasing in the country.

    Furthermore, there are several draconian laws and regulations at the Federal and State levels that need to be re – addressed and amended for the good of Nigerians and the Nation as a whole.

    Many things are wrong with several sectors in Nigeria and the earlier they are addressed, the better for the development of this great nation. For example, as at today, it has not yet been resolved who regulates the Driving Schools in Nigeria, the Federal Road Safety Commission or the State Governments. Nigeria recently ranked 191 out of 193 countries with the worst case of road crashes and fatalities. And we are yet to take proactive actions practically to drastically reduce the high rate of accidents and fatalities in Nigeria.

     

    Why on earth should the Nigeria police Officers leave their primary jobs to be helping State governments to arrest Motorcycle Riders or prosecute offenders of State government traffic laws, arresting Drivers not using seat belt, looking for expired Driver Licence with little or no attention to the security of Nigerians in their domain if it is not for personal financial gains?

     

    Current and potential Farmers have heard too much theories about how good and rewarding Agriculture is but what stops the Federal Ministry of Agriculture from approving 5 model Farmers in each State of the Federation, finance them, monitor them, create local and international markets for their produce so that the whole nation can see how truly profitable and rewarding farming is and how it’s used to generate employment by the model Farmers. This demonstration will encourage other Farmers and prospective Farmers to courageously step into the terrain and enjoy the local and international markets already created and widened to accommodate more Farmers and generate more benefits for job creation and growth of the economy.

     

    What is wrong if it is agreed that any vehicle with factory – fitted tinted glass must always have their windows down whenever they are moving on the road since the glasses cannot be replaced. Criminals are even the fastest to get police permission to use tinted glasses. What then are we talking about? A conference deliberation on effectively proffer solution to this problem.

     

    The Federal Ministry of Agriculture is boasting that their fertilizers are being distributed adequately to Farmers but is anyone talking about the effects of the fertilizers on the health of the Consumers of the produce of these Farmers?

     

    This year alone, road accident has killed far more than the number of people killed by Ebola all over the world from 1976 to October 2014, thereby making road accident far more deadly and calling for more attention than the dreaded Ebola Virus disease.

     

    If we are really sincere and committed to reducing the rate of road accidents and fatalities in Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Transport must be organizing an Annual National Conference on Transportation and the resolutions must be taken seriously for implementation by the Federal, State and Local Governments, their Agencies as well as other Stakeholders concerned in the overall interest and development of Nigeria.

     

    The Federal Ministry of Power is saying that 4,500 megawatts of electricity will be available in Nigeria this year. But has the same ministry carried out a need – analysis to determine which Town or City in Nigeria needs more regular electricity to make sufficient impacts in manufacturing, production or service delivery that will make significant impact in direct and indirect employment generation in the country? So that more megawatts can be channeled to these identified towns or cities instead of political talks of improved megawatts to the whole country at once. What is the benefit of improved megawatts of electricity to villages whose Inhabitants go to farm in the day and only use electricity to sleep (at least for now)? Regular conference on power will address these issues and more for proactive measures.

     

    Happenings in the micro – finance sector is a far cry from the original vision as announced at the inauguration of the micro finance policy by the government of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, a ceremony which I personally attended.

     

    The Micro Finance Companies’ system can be likened to that of shylocks. The Beneficiaries of their loan facilities are groaning and their businesses are not experiencing real growth through the loans because they have become cows being milked by the Microfinance Banks.

     

    Many things are currently wrong in the Nigerian banking and finance sector. It is only an all – encompassing finance conference comprising all the Stakeholders that can proffer real and lasting solutions in the interest of national development.

     

    There are many facts that the Governments may not know until regular result – oriented conferences are organized by the Federal Ministry of Finance where Stakeholders and other interested parties bare their minds.

     

    We are always fast in participating in International Conferences where our local situations cannot be deeply resolved but failing to use the same conference strategies to effectively address our local challenges. This year alone, Nigerian Governments and Agencies have attended several international conferences but how many have been organized by the Government Ministries to proactively solve the local problems and boost national development?

     

    In Nigeria, how many Government Officials, Officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Airforce, Police and Civil Defence) and the Federal Road Safety Commission attended or passed through Driving Schools training to obtain their Driver Licences? Very few if at all there is any. Is this what obtains in other Countries? We should stop deceiving ourselves in the war against road accidents and fatalities in Nigeria.

     

    The multiplicity and clashes in the functions of the Federal Road Safety Commission, State Government Agencies and Driving Schools can easily be resolved through regular result oriented national conferences to enhance safety on Nigeria roads.

     

    The Nigerian Governments (Federal and States) are boasting and celebrating that Ebola Virus Disease is no more in Nigeria. They should however remember that Goliath has brothers. While Ebola is not yet completely dead globally, Marbug virus disease, Sarin, Rye ergot, Swamp fever, Smallpox, Typhoid, Anthrax, Botulism, Plague, Mail attack and Tularemia which have ravaged nations in the past and many yet to be mentioned biological attacks or disasters can manifest anytime and anywhere.

     

    Instead of celebrating one victory, there is a need to call for an urgent disaster prevention and management conference to strategize well ahead of time in line with the principle of hazard perception, prevention and control.

     

    In 2001, the United States anti – terrorism authorities played a “war – game” called Dark winter to determine the nation’s readiness in case small pox were deliberately released by aerosol methods in three States. Within 2 – weeks, the small pox spread to 25 States and 15 other Countries thereby making their vaccine supplies of 15 million doses inadequate but increased to 45 million doses before it was successfully checkmated. All these were done to ensure their readiness to effectively handle the perceived hazards. It is time Nigerian Governments (Federal and States) to wake up from their slumber and be more proactive in the handling of all the pressing issues in Nigeria, including Unemployment, Road Safety and Electricity among others.

     

    In a nutshell, the success of the recent National Conference in the midst of divers opinion is a pointer to the fact that sectoral conferences can be used as a strong weapon for resolving the logjam hindering the performance of the various sectors and the overall national development.

     

  • Group holds exhibition, awards

    Group holds exhibition, awards

    An exhibition and award for stakeholders in the transport sector will hold in November.

    The event is organised by the Network of Road Transport Correspondents and Reporters of Nigeria in conjunction with Greatpen publishing ventures, publishers of tricycle operator’s world.

    The event, according to the chairman of the organising committee, Mr Dare Enimola, is geared towards showcasing and appreciating contributions made by stakeholders in the transportation sector in developing the nation’s economy especially, in the construction of Inner city and rural community roads.

    He said the event will promote development and articulate activities of people in the road sector towards achieving a common goal.

    Enimola added that it will also acknowledge contributions made by stakeholders in the promotion of every strata of the road transportation sector thereby train, educate and enlighten stakeholders on what is trending and encourage cross pollination of ideas for optimum returns on investment.

    Awardees in the executed road projects category included, Governors Babatunde Fashola; Godswill Akpabio; Rauf Aregbesola and Ibikunle Amosun.

    They will be awarded for the construction of inner city and rural community roads, drainage, bridges, culverts and sidewalks.

    Others are Kayode Opeifa; Toyota brand of vehicles; Bajaj brand of tricycle; Tvs star brand of motorcycle; C & C construction company limited; Nana Motors Nigeria limited; Mrs Oil Company Limited, among others.

     

  • ‘Abuja fair ‘ll enhance auto policy’

    ‘Abuja fair ‘ll enhance auto policy’

    As preparations for the hosting of the premium auto show in Nigeria gets to an advanced stage, the platform for the annual event has been described as litmus test to the shape of things in the industry with the current paradigm shift in the sector.

    According to the Organising Committee Chairman of the 16th Abuja International Motor Fair, Ifeanyichukwu Agwu,  “the automobile is undoubtedly the primary yardstick of success for any auto exhibition. This means auto enterprises showcasing at any exhibition must ensure visibility and wholeness/completeness, not leaving anything to chance”.

    He said: “The reinvigorated auto policy no doubt caught some stakeholders unprepared, confused and some highly prepared. These various states have caught some on the wrong footing and they needed to stay afloat and the ready ones; all need to show that they are ready to play big in the new era.

    “It is this unique opportunity that the motor fair has been packaged to provide to stakeholders.  Therefore, showcasing amongst others at the event, will ultimately show the state of preparedness or otherwise of participants. This does not apply only to the automobile companies, but equally to those which services and or products complement the automobiles because the incidence of the policy falls on all of them”.

    Agwu disclosed that preparations are in top gear, stressing that the 16th edition is loaded with a whole lot of content designed to showcase the strength and resilience of the participants as well as create an educative and fun-filled atmosphere for those that will visit the show.

    Concerning this year’s theme, which promotes the culture and attitude of self-belief and self–confidence, Agwu noted that aside the known strong brands that will be at the show, a few others will make their debut, therefore, creating an ambience for debutants to rub shoulders with the ‘big boys’, which will further expose them to the workings of the industry.

    He said the build up to the event has shown the quality of an international A-level automobile exhibition in many aspects.

    “One of which is, the high technical content of exhibits, which will represent the latest trend and the most advanced level of the world. Therefore, this exhibition plays a real role of weather vane in the Nigeria and West Africa automobile market.

    “This edition will show not only new entrants from the various brands, but also the hot spot products in the market. All these exhibits focus on displaying the new achievements and new breakthroughs in various aspects, particularly the indigenous ones,” he said.

     

  • …GAC to showcase brands

    …GAC to showcase brands

    CIG Motors, sole representative of GAC brand of vehicles will showcase two of its latest models at this year’s Abuja Motor fair.

    The two models making waves in Nigeria since their arrival a few months ago, are GS5 2.0L engine mid-luxury SUV and the GA3 1.6L saloon.

    Disclosing this in Lagos last week, Sales and Marketing Director of CIG, Mr Kayode Adejumo, said the high quality auto-brand will leave no stone untouched in making Nigerians and attendees of the 16th edition of the Abuja Motor Fair have a new feel of the global automobile appeal and experience.

    According to him, “GAC Motors will be participating at the fair to showcase two of our models, the GS5 2.0L engine vehicle, our mid luxury SUV, which is the flagship in our range and the GA3, a 1.6L saloon which is our current entry level”, adding that the car company is in the country to offer Nigerians value for their money.

    “We plan to create excitement with our special promotional offer on the GS5 with an all expense paid business trip to China for seven days up for the first 10 people who purchase the vehicle,” he noted.

    He said GAC brands’ unique selling points are irresistible to prospective car owners. Some of these, he hinted, are advanced world class factory with stamping, welding and painting.

     

  • ‘We need cars by Nigerians for Nigerians’

    ‘We need cars by Nigerians for Nigerians’

    Meet Jelani Aliyu (MFR), a top American automotive designer who is from Sokoto State. He designed Chevrolet Volt, 2014 Chevrolet Camaro, as well as Bumblebee, a car featured in the popular movie ‘Transformer 4’, an American movie that made more than a billion dollars profit within few weeks of its release. Our New York correspondent Adeola Oladele-Fayehun met with Aliyu for tips on how to revamp Nigeria’s transportation system.

    What do we need to revamp our transportation system in Nigeria?

    We need vehicles designed specifically for Africa, for Nigeria, because the conditions are different. We have extreme heat, we have extreme dust, and there are places with a lot of humidity. So we need to identify that this is our locality and conditions we face everyday, and design vehicles for that. For example, if you go to Alaska, you won’t drive a BMW, you would drive a snowmobile. It’s designed for a lot of snow. So we need to design vehicles for extreme conditions of Africa, and the economic structure of Africa, something people can afford.

    The vehicles made in the US, England, or Japan, are primarily for those markets. A lot of the vehicles that are in Africa, happen to be transplanted into that part of the world. I always say a lot of the reasons that systems fail in Africa is not because Africans inherently don’t want to maintain products or technology, but a lot of those are not specifically for those parts of the world. So we need vehicles, products, architecture that is done specifically for those climatic condition, so that they’re effective and enable people to live comfortable lives, and enable them to prosper.

    What about foreigners assembling cars in Nigeria? The government describes them as made in Nigeria cars

    It’s a start. I see more commitment from our government to move our nation forward; I see a lot of initiatives. However, I don’t think the cars for Nigerians by Nigerians have yet been made, and that’s what we need to do.

    In addition to having international players in Nigeria, we need to also cultivate the local talents to produce cars that would be affordable. Foreign made cars have their merit, but the common man on the farm, or the person using a bicycle who has a family of seven, or someone riding a motorcycle with a family of 15, those vehicles are not there for them. And those people must be given priority, to enable the production of safe, modern, and affordable vehicles that almost each and every Nigerian can afford as long as you have a job, so that vehicle does not yet exist.

    As Nigerians we need to enable that vehicle, not just Nigerians, but other African countries. With the way technology works, we need to collaborate with other countries.

    Before we can design cars in Nigeria, what has to be in place?

    Having an automobile design school is an important factor in the development of any nation.  Not just to assemble vehicles, or to produce them in the country, but to create them, design them in that country, by the citizens of that country who really understand the culture and the needs of that country. So let the government identify individuals who are talented to lead us in the transportation design and set up institutions within the country that would help them establish and go through the courses, so that when they’re done, they can be effective in creating and developing vehicles for Nigeria.

    Also, our infrastructures need to be updated. I know a lot of roads are being constructed and trains, but we need to do more and make sure the roads are perfect, safe, and right, every square, every mile must be perfect. Our roads have to be the best. There are new technologies making roads safer, that help you to see the road markings better at night due to the materials used. So if there are no street lights, or your head lambs go bad, you can still see the road markings.

    Also, there needs to be very intensive drivers education in Nigeria. Before anyone can be given a license, we have to make sure they are the best drivers they could be, they have to know all the rules and defensive driving, so they can also know what the other driver is doing in advance. We have to make sure people are excellent drivers.

    Trains have the ability to move large number of people all at once, and it can easily connect cities and states, and I know they’re working on it, that is a very good start. But we need to pump more funds into that, and also look into newer technologies, not just the same old diesel locomotives, but also electromagnetic Maglev trains. There are some newer technologies that are unbelievably inexpensive that can be applied in Nigeria to move people fast.

    However, we need to have stable electricity first.

    Are there advantages to the abundance of sun in Nigeria that can help revamp our transportation system?

    Solar energy is a crucial part of Nigeria’s development. A clean source of energy that could help the country move forward at a much faster pace. Whenever I call home, people complain that it’s very hot, but the heat is actually a blessing. We need to leverage this for the development of our country in setting up solar power plants to feed whole communities, and also in developing solar powered systems that you can take anywhere without worrying about access to electricity. Such as how a Canadian company came up with a solar laptop in collaboration with Eco Sahel company.

    We can apply the same principle to designing cars, and it would take time, it’s not a one day thing. It could be applied to a lot of other products as well, including trains and aeroplanes. Industrial design needs to be given a lot of importance for the development of Nigeria. Which means we won’t have to depend so much on fuel either.

    How can young Nigerians also harness their talents like you?

    The most important thing is to first recognize your talent. Everybody is gifted, usually it’s things you love doing without being pushed to do it. Once you identify your talent, I would suggest you concentrate on them. If it’s drawing, keep drawing. Identify what you’re really good at, and work with people that will support you.

    Unfortunately we don’t have automotive school in Nigeria. I had to leave Nigeria to pursue my dream. There are many youths with similar talent in Nigeria that can even take it farther than I have, I searched for schools around the world. So students have to look beyond Nigeria to develop their talents.

    What about parents who want their children to be doctors or lawyers?

    It’s good to be doctors or lawyers, but there are many other exciting careers out there that they need to explore. Now the youth of Nigeria have access to the Internet, and they should use it as a tool to grow and be exposed to other materials out there. So I urge parents to really help their children, give the access to the Internet and make sure they use it as a tool to open their mind to other possibilities.

    My immediate family and some family friends were very supportive, but a lot of other people thought I was only wasting my time drawing cars because we don’t make cars in Nigeria. But I never gave up. I kept drawing and drawing, that helped me to develop my talent. Whenever my dad and my older brother travel, they would bring me magazines with different car designs. I’ll give the same advice to a lot of young people in Nigeria, if a lot of people say what you’re doing is wrong, you’ll never get anywhere with that, keep trying, never give up. And parents should not push their children to be what they wanted to be when they were young.

    What would it take for you to come home to do what you’re doing?

    Not much. The important thing to understand is that, you can affect any society from anywhere. I left Nigeria to become a designer, and Nigeria has always been on my heart. Whenever I go home, it’s very difficult to come back. I can go back to Nigeria right away and make a difference when given an opportunity to do so.

    What I am is an industrial designer. My passion goes beyond cars; it’s about making a difference to any society.

    After the interview, Aliyu asked to deliver a three-minute inspirational message he prepared for Nigerians. Below is the transcript:

    Never be afraid of success – by Jelani Aliyu

    We must never underestimate the significance of human imagination, the ability to envision a dramatically positive and dynamic future. Every great city, every monument, every historic feat, as it stands for all the world to see was once sphere of thought, pure imagination acted upon and brought into reality.

    To imagine is to dream, to dream is to tune into the ever-amazing possibilities of the future. And when we do dream, it must be big. Because to dream small, is to totally underestimate the amazing capabilities that lie within each and every one of us.

    Our own country Nigeria, from the Atlantic shoreline in the south through the grasslands of the middle belt, all the way to the rolling hills and the bright blue skies of the North, Nigeria is truly a magnificent and blessed country.

    Yes we have crude oil, yes we have natural gas and a wide variety of raw materials, and yes we have fertile soil that can be cultivated to feed hundreds of millions, but above all, at our very core, what we have is our humanity, that magical inner spirit that glows from within, that magical inner spirit that makes us an integral, and crucial part of the human civilization.

    So we must see ourselves not just as Nigerians, but as members of a global community, sharing constructive ideas, sharing inspirations and together coming up with solutions for the betterment of humanity worldwide. We as Nigerians must not be afraid of success, no one must be afraid to succeed but we must all individually and collectively focus on progressive opportunities and solutions.

     

     

     

    Those powerful capabilities that reside within each and every one of us must be reawakened; it all starts in the mind. If you can imagine it and clearly see it in your mind, then you’re half way there. We must not be defined by current problems, they’re not who we are. We must be defined by our dreams and aspirations. We must be defined by what we can achieve; we must be defined by a better tomorrow. Nothing is impossible, there are no impossibilities, there is only a better Nigeria to build.

     

  • Automotive giants to test strength at Abuja Fair

    Automotive giants to test strength at Abuja Fair

    With a resolve to flaunt the best and the latest as well as demonstrate their poise to play strongly in the emerging Nigeria automotive market as dictated by the demands of the nation’s new auto policy, reputable giants in both the domestic and global automotive are strongly preparing to showcase at the Eagle Square venue of the 16th edition of Abuja International Motor Fair.

    According to the organisers of the event “virtually all the leading names in the industry in Nigeria as well as overseas have booked stands to showcase the best in the sector at the event.”

    The strategic platform Abuja International Motor fair offers is very ample for auto firms to demonstrate to Nigerians and the rest of the world their readiness to play strong in the emerging automotive sector which offers vista of opportunities with its abundant potentials.

    Chairman of the organising committee, Mr Ifeanyichukwu Agwu, applauded the high interest being showed by reputable automotive giants.

    He noted that providing a platform for all segments of the automotive sector to showcase their best and latest and thereby fast tracking the development of the sector in Nigeria remains the main objective of the fair.

    Agwu said more companies in the oil lube sector, spare parts and accessories, security and financials are almost finalising their participation in the event.

    “These companies have resolved to keep faith with their potential and existing customers as they have packaged series of offers ranging from budget cars to good pricing, special fair rebates and promotions, responsive customer care services and lots of supporting benefits for their customers so as to keep on driving the car on their dream. All these they promised to unveiled at the show ground,” Agwu said.

    According to him, no fewer than 20,000 visitors would grace the event.

    “Abuja International Motor Fair will be an unparalleled gathering of established brands as well as new entrants will be at the fair. The imperative of this event cannot be over-emphasised as more companies are keying into efforts to harness the enormous potentials in the automobile, parts and accessories market in the country,” he said.

     

  • Ford recalls 850,000 vehicles

    Ford recalls 850,000 vehicles

    Ford has recalled 850,050 models that span a couple of the brand’s most popular sellers in North America, including the Fusion and Escape. Reportedly, the issue stems from a problem with the restraints control module, which may experience a short circuit.

    “If a short circuit occurs, the airbag warning indicator will illuminate,” Ford said. “Depending on the location of the short circuit, the deployable restraint systems (e.g., airbags, pretensioners, side curtains) may not function as intended in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury,” Ford added.

    Other affected models include the C-Max hybrid and the Lincoln MKZ, all from the 2013 and 2014 model years. About 745,000 of the vehicles were located within the United States and federalised territories, about 82,000 of them were sold in Canada, and the remaining 20,000 were sold in Mexico. This brings Ford’s recall totals for the year so far to about 3.9 million, and while that figure is dwarfed by the more than 30 million recalled by fellow Michigan resident General Motors, it is still about three times the number of cars that the brand recalled last year, according to the New York Times.

    Ford said that it was not yet aware of any injuries or deaths that might have occurred as a result of the defect, but it detected the problem as part of its “normal internal processes,” such as warranty claims, Kelli Felker, a company spokeswoman, wrote in an email to the New York Times. Felker noted that the airbag issue was not in any way related to the massive 14-million unit recall by Takata Corp. earlier this year, an effort that spanned many automakers around the world — including Ford. The control module at hand is not manufactured by Takata. While the Fusion has largely missed the rounds of software updates and other fizes, the Escape and C-Max models have been notably susceptible to recalls. The Escape was recalled numerous times (for different years) over fire risks. Both were brought in earlier this year for a problem with the same restraints control module; 595,000 vehicles were covered under that previous effort. The Ford Fusion is the automaker’s bestselling car in the U.S. and its second vehicle (along with the F-150) sitting in the top 10 on the domestic market. Through the first eight months of 2014, Ford sold 218,892 models of the midsize sedan. Ford’s Escape sits just behind in 11th place with 208,444 models sold in 2014.

  • Alliance delights Jaguar customers in Ghana

    Alliance delights Jaguar customers in Ghana

    As the official Jaguar distributor for Ghana, Alliance Motors has delighted customers from its new premises since opening.

    Taking over the responsibility as Jaguar Land Rover’s official presence in Ghana, Alliance Motors has rejuvenated the brand in the market. Even while servicing customers from a temporary facility, rewards from their significant investment are already being felt.

    “We have embraced our responsibility as custodians of two such iconic brands: Jaguar Land Rover,” says Suzette Knudgaard, General Manager of Alliance Motors Ghana. “Jaguar Land Rover customers have a home in Ghana and we are proud to call it Alliance Motors.

    “We are well-pleased with Alliance Motors’ progress in the Ghanaian market over the past two years,” says Nigel Clarke, Operations Director of Jaguar Land Rover sub-Sahara Africa.

    “Our customers in Ghana are beginning to appreciate the global Jaguar Land Rover experience, be it in new or pre-owned sales or service.”

    Alliance Motors is owned by Tata Motors Ghana and consequently enjoys a close relationship with Jaguar Land Rover. The Ghanaian environment provides a naturally healthy market for Jaguar Land Rover. The expanding economy has increased demand for premium vehicles, while the growing Ghanaian infrastructure will continue to drive demand for Jaguar and Land Rover products too.

    From  November 24 to 28,Alliance Motors will be giving Jaguar owners an opportunity to bring in their vehicles for a free health check at the Health Check Service Clinic.  All health checks are completed by trained technicians to ensure that all work is carried out as per Jaguar standards and quality.

  • Porsche Cayenne celebrates world premiere in Paris

    Porsche Cayenne celebrates world premiere in Paris

    Porsche celebrates the launch of its new Cayenne S E-Hybrid, with a world premiere at the Paris Motor Show last Thursday. The world’s first plug-in hybrid in the premium SUV segment sets the standard among luxury all-wheel-drive vehicles and makes Porsche a market-leader in the production of plug-in hybrid cars. Together with the Panamera S E-Hybrid and the 918 Spyder, the Stuttgart-based sports car manufacturer is the only brand to offer three plug-in models.

    Alongside the Cayenne S E-Hybrid, the company will also present model updates of the Cayenne S, Cayenne Turbo, Cayenne Diesel and Cayenne S Diesel in Paris. All new models feature increased efficiency, even more precise handling, streamlined design and an extensive list of standard equipment.

    As a result of the brand’s advanced plug-in hybrid technology, the Cayenne S E-Hybrid has a fuel economy of only 3.4 litres per 100 kilometres and CO2 emissions of a mere 79 grams per kilometre, which are all impressive figures for an all-wheel-drive car. Global market reaction to models featuring the advanced hybrid drive concept has been positive. In the first eight months of 2014, the company delivered a total of 16,698 Panamera units, of which 1,513 units (9 per cent) were Panamera S E-Hybrid models.

    The Cayenne S E-Hybrid was unveiled to the world for the first time, alongside showcases of the Cayenne Diesel, Cayenne S Diesel, Cayenne S and the flagship Cayenne Turbo at a press conference during the Paris Motor Show.

     

  • Road accidents will remain high if…(4)

    Road accidents will remain high if…(4)

    When multitudes of people are rushing and competing to do the same job, there is always the tendency to neglect other or more vital jobs that could have been better done if there is distinct separation of powers or result – oriented definition of duties.

    No matter the duties that any of these officers may put forward, the bottom-line is income generation and illegal extortion. They are unknowingly creating emotional pressure for the drivers which is a great cause of road accidents.

    • The Federal Road Safety Commission regulates the driving schools in Nigeria. The Vehicle Inspection Department of the state government regulates the driving schools, state drivers institutes regulate the driving schools, the Nigeria Police Force intervenes in the operation of driving schools, the Standard Organisation of Nigeria intervenes in the operation of driving schools and the Board of Internal Revenue in some states also intervenes in the operation of driving schools in some states in Nigeria. To whom then are the driving schools in Nigeria responsible to or should take orders from? Unless this is defined and enforced, there will continue to be a dangerous disorder not favourable to road safety education in Nigeria.

    In some vein, the Motor Vehicle Licencing Authorities and the Board of Internal Revenue handle the issue of Learners permit to learners. The learners permit confers the right on learners to drive on the road pending the issuance of driver licence to the candidates. How can an agency that is not responsible for the training of drivers issue learners permit which certifies them okay to driver?

    By all standards, it is the driving schools that train the candidates that can confirm if they are qualified to be issued learners permit. This means that the state governments should allow only driving schools to issue learners permit to the candidates on their behalf on mutually agreed terms. It is time to do things right to get the right result in the interest of our dear nation, Nigeria.

    Every rider must be subjected to pre – licence and pre – licence renewal comprehensive theory and practical training and tests in the driving schools since they cannot be completely phased out in Nigeria today because of the state of the economy and poor road infrastructures.

    All other road users such as animal rearers, truck pushers, bicycle riders, school children and pedestrians must be subjected to regular training and re – training using different fora (including radio, television, newspapers and road shows). Multi – sectoral and holistic approach must be employed by the government through their agencies and other stakeholders to ensure that we are truly committed in words and in deed to accomplishment to the goals of the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety in Nigeria.