The Nation Newspaper

Category: Motoring

  • Ridicule of job creation and road safety management

    Ridicule of job creation and road safety management

    It is good to hear that the Federal, State and Local Governments have created millions of jobs in the past two or three years. Some of these jobs include Nigerian Graduates employed by construction companies for two years road construction contracts at a salary of N600.00 (six hundred naira only) per day. Some of these jobs include youths trained in various trade areas but without start-up tools kit for them to become self employed (virtually all of them still remain unemployed).

    Some of the jobs include road shoulder clearing, sweeping and cleaning at a salary of N10,000.00 per month (from which they are to feed, settle house rent and other expenses).

    Some of the jobs include youths offered vocational training in trade areas that cannot pass the tests of profitability and sustainability. The Finance Minister recently said that over one million youths join the labour market annually. The ILO and NBS report also confirmed high youth unemployment in Nigeria.

    Several of our leaders have traveled to Malaysia. They only looked but did not see the benefits of using the legal set backs on all Nigerian roads to plant various cash crops and medicinal plants that have great and continuous economic values among other beneficial policies that can be profitably emulated.

    Which of the governments (Federal, State and Local) has passed the test of real job creation in Nigeria? By my own personal research and assessment, there is none. How long will the governments continue to play the politics of figures?

    In the same vein, the rate of road crashes and fatalities still remain high in Nigeria because of the high degree of insincerity among the governments, government agencies and other stakeholders. Their focus is predominantly on revenue generation and egotism rather than on disaster prevention and life saving.

    The United Nations decade of Action for Road Safety (2011 – 2020) has entered the fourth year but Nigeria is still very far from taking any serious and result-oriented action on the Pillars of the UN Action plan which include the following:

    Pillar 1: Road Safety Management – “Adhere to and fully implement UN legal instruments and encourage the creation of regional road safety instruments. Encourage the creation of multi – sectoral partnerships and designation of lead agencies with the capacity to develop and lead the delivery of national road safety strategies, plans and targets, underpinned by the data collection and evidential research to assess countermeasure decision and monitor implementation and effectiveness”.

    Pillar 2: Safer roads and mobility – “Raise the inherent safety and proactive quality of road networks for the benefit of all road users, especially the most vulnerable (e.g. pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists and tricyclists). This will be achieved through the implementation of various road infrastructure agreements under the UN framework, road infrastructure assessment and improved safety – conscious planning, design, construction and operation of roads.”

    Pillar 3: Safer vehicles – “Encourage universal development of improved vehicle safety technology for both passive and active safety through a combination of harmonisation of relevant global standards, consumer information schemes and incentives to accelerate the uptake of new technologies.”

    Pillar 4: Safer road users – “Develop comprehensive programmes to improve road users behaviour. Sustained or increased enforcement of laws and standards, combined with public awareness / education to increase seat – belt and helmet wearing rates, and to reduce drink – driving, speed, over speeding and other risk factors.”

    Pillar 5: Post Crash Response – “Increase responsiveness to post crash emergencies and improve the ability of health and other systems to provide appropriate emergency treatment and longer term rehabilitation for crash victims.”

     

    Monitoring and evaluation of the decade of Action for Road Safety –

     

    Through:

     

    (a) Monitoring of indicators;

    (b) Tracking milestones linked to the decade; and

    (c) Mid – term and end – term evaluation of the Decade.

     

    It is expected that each country will develop and publish national reports and organise events to discuss progress and adapt plans.

     

    In Nigeria, the attention is so much on revenue generation and unhealthy rivalry among state governments, State Vehicle Inspection Officers, Nigeria Police and the Federal Road Safety Commission among others instead of focusing on accomplishing the Pillars of the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety for which Nigeria is a party.

     

    The manifestations in Nigeria include:

    (1) The rivalry between the Federal Road Safety Commission and the Nigeria Police over who has the right to do the Biometric Central Motor Registration (BCMR).

    (2) The rivalry between the Federal Road Safety Commission, the State Vehicle Inspection Officers and State Drivers Institute over who has the right to regulate Driving Schools.

    (3) The push by the Federal Road Safety Commission of the obtention of the new plate numbers by vehicle owners.

     

    All the above are part of the focus of those responsible for the promotion of safety on Nigeria roads, a case of gross distraction while irreparable lives and valuable properties are perishing on Nigeria roads daily as a result of the increasing rate of road accidents.

     

    Unless the Federal and State Governments, Federal Road Safety Commission and other Stakeholders get more unbiasely and unselfishly committed to the accomplishment of the goals of the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety and take result – oriented proactive actions, it will be excuse galore by the year 2020 just as we are currently full of excuses to justify our failure in the accomplishment of the objectives of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

     

    The increasing rate of unemployment and road accidents are time bombs which will not do all classes of people (the rich, the poor, the old and the young) and the image of Nigeria any good.

     

     

  • Toyota opens multi-million naira workshop

    Toyota opens multi-million naira workshop

    Toyota (Nigeria) Limited (TNL) has opened a new workshop in Oregun, Lagos called – Body Repair and Paint Centre.

    The centre is to sustain the brand as the first, not only in sales, but also in all segments of the after-sale services in the country.

    It is valued at $2 million.

    TNL Managing Director Mr Chandrasheker Thampy, said it was meant to give the after-sales service a new meaning, describing it as a turning point.

    He noted that it was designed to give users/owners of Toyota vehicles in the country real value for their money, essentially by keeping cars on the road longer than they imagined in their original shining beautiful look.

    According to him, the centre will also serve as training ground where skill will be passed on to their dealer workshops.

    Thampy said the body and paint repair segment, traditionally called panel beating, was largely an untapped market in Nigeria, having been operated in an unorganised manner, adding that a professional touch would be given to it under the new arrangement.

    He enjoined TNL dealers to take advantage of the facilities at the centre for the new after sales services that would ultimately benefit the end-users of Toyota vehicles.

    “We are transferring high-tech skills to the dealers to satisfy our customers,” he added.

    Manager, Training and Workshop, Mr Nishant Sasidharan, said the TNL came up with the idea of body and paint workshop to increase the dealers’ technical skill level and help them to attain the Toyota Motor Corporation’s certification’s standard.

    Sasidharan in a presentation said, the company, under the new arrangement, will encourage more B&P workshops in all the dealers’ service network; establish good business relations with its B&P business partners and request the dealers to conduct regular in-house and external audit and create a healthy competition among the dealers.

    The essence of the initiative, he said, was “to ensure that Toyota remains number one in all aspects and make the dealers to be employee-friendly and customer service-oriented.”

    It was also aimed at introducing Kaizen activities in all B&P areas, he added.

  • Hyundai lifts film industry

    Hyundai lifts film industry

    Hyundai Motors Nigeria has donated two new Hyundai cars to support Africa’s film and TV industry at the just ended 2014 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA).

    The vehicles, which include Hyundai Veloster three-door sports car and iX35 crossover were given out to messrs Michelle Bello for emerging winner in the ‘Trailblazer’ category of the award and Pete Edochie, who was awarded ‘Industry Merit Award.’

    This is the first time the Korean automaker country representative is supporting AMVCA since the show was inaugurated last year.

    “We are proud to be associated with Africa’s distinguished movie stars and the film and TV industry,” Hyundai Motors said.

    The company said African movie industry has contributed immensely to the socio-cultural development and diversity of the African continent.

    Hyundai Motors Nigeria Head, Sales and Marketing, Jatin Nadkarni, said: “Hyundai is a global brand with predilection for high quality with stylish and fluidic sculpture designs that not only revere Hyundai sporty and dynamic styling but seeks to compliment efforts geared at celebrating African culture and values.”

    He hailed the AMVCA initiative, describing it as yet another incentive to acknowledge African homogeneous socio-cultural heritage, which are divided into great number of ethnic cultures.

    “We, at Hyundai, realise the need to enrich the process of education through the development of African culture and we appreciate the significance of cultural diversity,” Nadkarni added.

     

  • Toyota recalls more than six million vehicles

    Toyota recalls more than six million vehicles

    Toyota Motor Corporation has issued a massive recall of 6.4 million vehicles worldwide for a range of glitches, from faulty airbags and seat rails to defective windshield wipers.

    The action covers five separate recalls, affecting about 2.3 million vehicles in North America and 810,000 in Europe.

    Toyota said it is unaware of any crashes, injuries or deaths caused by the problems, which span more than a dozen nameplates.

    The largest of the five recalls, which covers spiral cables in airbags, ranks No. 4 in Toyota’s recall roster.

    Toyota’s largest single-part recall came in 2012 when it fixed 7.4 million fire-prone window switches. The No. 2 recall covered 7.1 million floor mat entrapment recalls from 2009-2012, and the third-largest was the 2010 remedy of 4.45 million sticky gas pedals to address unintended acceleration.

    The latest recalls, according to Toyota spokesman Brian Lyons, were announced simultaneously, even though they are unrelated, because that is how the timing of the investigations unfolded.

    The move came amid heightened regulatory scrutiny of automakers in the United States following General Motors Company’s recall of 2.6 million small cars for faulty ignition switches. The defect has been linked to 13 fatalities. Internal documents show that some GM engineers knew of a defect at least 10 years ago, but the company failed to issue a recall.

    U.S. dealers this week are beginning to perform the recall work while GM, regulators, prosecutors and Congress all are investigating why it took GM so long to issue the recall.

     

    Toyota penalty

     

    Toyota’s recalls today took place after the company agreed last month to a pay a penalty of $1.2 billion to the U.S. government for misleading consumers and concealing facts about unintended acceleration in its vehicles.

    The rash of acceleration problems, traced to sticky gas pedals and unsecured or incompatible floor mats, triggered more than 9 million recalls – for various parts and design flaws.

    The recalls total 6.86 million vehicles. But because some vehicles are involved in more than one recall, only 6.4 million vehicles are being remedied.

    The 3.5-million vehicle spiral cable recall, the largest of the fixes, addresses a cable that can become damaged when the steering wheel turns. This may trigger a warning lamp and deactivate the air bag causing it not to deploy in a crash.

    Outside Japan, the spiral cable recall involves certain RAV4, Corolla, Matrix, Yaris, Yaris Sedan, Highlander, Tacoma, Reiz, Hilux, Fortuner, Innova, Land Cruiser Prado and Camry nameplates. It also affects the Pontiac Vibe.

    About 1.7 million of the vehicles are in North America; about 130,000 are in Europe. Toyota did not break it down by model.

    Also on the fix-it list are driver’s side seat rails that may not lock in the adjusted position.

     

    Overseas recalls

     

    In some cases, the seat may move forward during an accident.

    Outside Japan, the recall covers certain Scion xD, Urban Cruiser, Yaris and Yaris Sedan nameplates. About 670,000 vehicles are in North America; another 90,000 are in Europe.

    The third recall remedies steering column brackets that can become unstable when the steering wheel is repeatedly turned with full force. In some cases, the bracket may fail to hold the steering column in place.

    It affects certain Ist, Ractis and Yaris models. About 590,000 of them are in Europe. North America is unaffected. The last two recalls affect only models in Japan and Hong Kong.

     

  • Lube giants set for motor fair

    The lube giants – Mobil, Total, MRS, Forte Oil, Lubcon, Ascon Oil, Honeywell, V-Gold, Techno oil, and Pepco are set to upstage one another at the forthcoming Ninth Lagos Motor Fair/ Third Auto parts Expo, which will hold between 1 and 7 May.

    The indigenous companies are not left out as all the big names in the lubricant sector have all declared their interest to participate in this year’s event, leveraging on the outstanding success recorded in the 2013 edition.

    The event has been tagged as the ‘gathering of the heavy weights’ in the lube sector.

    The lube giants, while stating their level of preparedness, revealed that they have been working round the clock with the organising committee to ensure a great outing.

    They also highlighted that they will be at the expo with a wide range of products ranging from the Multigrade engine oil for petrol and diesel engines, Semi-Synthetic Multigrade engine oil for petrol and diesel engines, super vehicle performance engine oil, Mineral based Multigrade engine oil for petrol and diesel engines, Mineral based Mono-grade engine oil for petrol engines and other allied products

    Chairman, Organising committee and the Managing Director BKG Exhibitions, Ifeanyi Agwu, noted that exhibiting at shows of such nature provides a significant opportunity to enhance brand visibility, promote new and existing products, generate leads, and drive incremental sales.

    Agwu said: “A whole lot of the brands who started with us and are still with us can testify to this. They have moved to greater heights. That is the beauty of trade shows. They take you to another level by consistently keeping you in the minds of your target audience. And we will not relent in making the dreams of these exhibitors come true because of the faith they have put in us over the years.”

    He reiterated the need for other stakeholders in the industry to utilise the opportunities provided by the platform to further strengthen and promote the automobile and allied sectors which have the capability of contributing more than 10 per cent to the annual National GDP.

     

  • Wanted: Special, customised training for tanker drivers

    Wanted: Special, customised training for tanker drivers

    I AM quoting from a report on tankers titled: “Getting tankers off the road” published in The Nation, of Tuesday, February 11, this year. It says: “Many lives are lost on the roads to fuel tanker explosions. Should the nation continue to move petroleum products by road in the face of this recurring disaster?”

    Another report by Saturday Newswatch of March 8, this year, titled: ‘Oil Tankers: Death on country’s highway, says: “The incidence of petroleum Tanker accidents has become a source of worry to stakeholders as it has claimed lots of irreparable lives and properties worth billions of Naira.’’

    These reports and others are pointing to the removal or restriction of oil tankers on Nigerian roads.

    I am, however, of a different opinion. If we decide to opt for the movement of petroleum products by rail, how will the train get to the various filling stations in the cities, towns and villages?

    The Bible says, if the foundation be destroyed, what can the righteous do? Imposing a ban on the tankers is not the solution to the incessant accidents they are causing. The main problem is that the foundation of the drivers is very weak. Virtually all the tanker drivers did not attend any driving school and were not given the right professional training necessary for tanker drivers even up till now.

    I have carried out a lot of research work on tanker drivers as well as truck drivers in Nigeria. They are all guilty of the same problem but the case of the tanker drivers are more pronounced because they carry inflammable products. A trip from Lagos to Abuja through Okene and Ekiti and from Abuja to Kano, among others will reveal the gravity of the nuisance of Truck drivers on Nigerian roads.

    Driving goes beyond the movement of a vehicle from one point to another and under normal circumstances, would – be drivers of tankers and other types of articulated vehicles must be made to undergo thorough training programmes which must cover the following topics among others: Vehicle technology, vehicle characteristics, vehicle limits, driving forces (friction, traction, erratic handling, Jack – knifing, trailer swing, gravity, kinetic energy, momentum, centrifugal force, hydroplaning, inertia, forces on the load, loss of control, load shedding, control maintenance etc), analysis of articulated vehicles (weight, width, length, height, distance needed to pull up, distance needed to overtake, control needed when going downhill, power needed to climb uphill. The need to avoid any sudden change of speed or direction), braking system, load restraints, environmental impact, legal requirements, traffic signs and road markings, night driving, driving in adverse condition or bad weather, safe handling of breakdowns, vehicle maintenance, pollution, personal and occupational health issues among others.

    The truth is that the moment the would – be drivers of articulated vehicles are not exposed to the above indepth training and in the language or ways that will make them understand the topics, the result will continue to be catastrophic.

    My research also revealed that despite the high rate of accidents and fatalities involving the drivers of articulated vehicles, their employers are not willing to release them for intensive re-training programmes. I have not seen any employer of tanker drivers that can release his drivers to undergo a one week training.

    Most of the drivers also do not believe that they need further training. Hence, their unwillingness to surrender themselves for training even when their employers want them to undergo re-training programmes.

    It is expedient for drivers of tankers and other types of articulated vehicles and trucks to be compelled to undergo correctional re-training programnme of a duration not less than five days so that they will without compromise be equipped with all the knowledge and skills required to safely drive the vehicles in any environment and condition in Nigeria. Crash training programmes can never correct their weak foundation.

    The governments, government agencies, employers of the drivers, driving schools and the drivers themselves have vital roles to play in this direction to drastically reduce and eventually eliminate the crashes and fatalities involving tankers and other articulated vehicles and Trucks on Nigerian roads. A stitch in time saves nine.

     

  • ABC opens office in Ikorodu

    ABC opens office in Ikorodu

    ABC Cargo Express, a division of ABC Transport Plc, has opened an office in Ikorodu, Lagos. It brings to 11 ABC Cargo Express outlets in Lagos.

    The firm will soon take delivery of additional new trucks before the third quarter runs out.

    In addition to strengthening ABC Cargo Express capacity, manpower training and enhancement workshops was organised for cargo staff, supervisors, drivers and attendants.

    The workshops, aimed at imbuing them with the necessary skills to manage modern-day quality service delivery and customer relationship, held in Abuja, Lagos and Owerri.

    Meanwhile, ABC Sprinter Service has begun operations on the Lekki (Lagos) – Owerri and Port Harcourt routes. Designed for passengers who like to travel light, with little or no luggage, ABC Sprinter runs as a direct passenger service daily.

    The firm has announced that National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members are to enjoy N500 discount when they travel with any ABC Coach or Sprinter bus.

  • Pedestrian bridges and security

    Pedestrian bridges and security

    I give kudos to the Lagos State government and other stakeholders for promoting pedestrian safety well ahead of this year’s declaration of “safe walking” (pedestrian safety) by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

    Without doubt, a lot of lives have been lost due to the non-use of pedestrian bridges or its absence.

    I also use this forum to commend the state government and other governments for constructing more pedestrian bridges to ensure the safety of human lives. There is, however, a serious issue I want to mention here for the attention of the state government and other government concerned.

    To generate income, the state government, through her agencies, has sealed up all the sides of the pedestrian bridges thereby making it difficult to see the people walking on the bridges. This situation has been capitalised upon by hoodlums to attack law-abiding citizens that are using the bridges. The security personnel on the bridges are not always on duty 24/7, they are not armed and there is little or nothing they can do to assist the pedestrian being attacked.

    My candid advice is that the governments should not allow the construction or attachment of any object or advert on any part of the pedestrian bridges. This will make all the pedestrians walking on the bridges visible to everyone in the environment. Whenever there is any suspicious movements or activities on the pedestrian bridges, the people down can make distress call to the police or even go up to rescue the victims.

    In addition, the government must provide good lighting system on the pedestrian bridges to make it safe for pedestrians in the night.

    With the two issues mentioned above, properly addressed, pedestrians will be gladly and safely use the pedestrian bridges during the day and night. Beggars, traders, loitering, and waiting should not be allowed on the pedestrian bridges.

    Lastly, I want to mention here that there should be an additional construction attached to every pedestrian bridge for the physically challenged just like the one at Five Star bustop on Apapa Oshodi expressway.

    If the government wants people to obey the laws by using the pedestrian bridges, the same government must take extra steps to guarantee the safety and security of the pedestrians on the bridges. I want to add here that governments and their agencies should always have a feedback mechanism to enhance their success in policy formulation and implementation. For example, to know the effectiveness of the European “Certificate of Professional Competence”, a questionnaire was designed and widely circulated to know “how effective it is, its contribution to road safety, what specific actions and measures could improve it’s effectiveness and the initial qualification and periodic training”. The results from such questionnaires will go a long way in guiding the actions of governments. Please let us take a cue from this strategy in Nigeria for better performance and accountability

     

  • FRSC chief cautions women on wheels

    FRSC chief cautions women on wheels

    The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Sector Commander, Lagos State, Mr Chidiebere Nkwonta, has implored women drivers in the state to be careful.

    Speaking at the kick-off of the maiden edition of Women on Wheels (WOW), in Lagos, Nkwonta, urged women drivers to pay attention to safety on the roads, considering their roles as mothers.

    Nkwonta, who kicked off the event with Publisher of On Wheels magazine, Mr Jabez Aina-Scott, noted that this role confers on them the important duty of being the eyes and ears of the family at home and outside, a role that engenders the need to impact in the members their family the knowledge of safety on the roads.

    Congratulating the drivers, Aina-Scott, said: “This is the first ever edition of road safety initiative specifically targeted at the family as a unit through mothers, sisters, aunts … in collaboration with an officially approved safety centred institution.”

    According to the publisher, the event is a campaign designed to inform, educate and sensitise female road users to the rules and regulations that guide the art of driving for safety.

    “This event is a corporate social responsibility(CSR) initiative designed by the magazine to raise awareness among women on the subject of ‘Defensive Driving’ (DD) as it produces a near perfect outcome of safety on the road and it is in the light of this that we took the initiative of partnering the (FRSC) in propagating the ideals”.

    Mrs Julie Chi-Nwaoha said: “The WOW Auto Rally was an experience that created an immense opportunity of safety awareness among this female target group of road users and also opened windows of marketing opportunities for the automotive brand owners through product association.”

     

  • Kia Soul receives ‘red dot’ design award

    Kia Soul receives ‘red dot’ design award

    The new Kia Soul has been awarded a prestigious ‘red dot’ design award, following the footsteps of its stylish first-generation predecessor.

    With its upright, confident posture, broad shoulders, iconic window shape and SUV ground clearance, the second-generation Soul was crowned winner in the 2014 ‘Product Design’ category by the red dot jury, the same award earned by the original Soul in 2009.

    This is the second major design award for the new Soul, following its success in the highly respected ‘iF design awards’ only few weeks ago.

    Kia Soul was created by the Kia design team under the supervision of Peter Schreyer, President and Chief Design Officer of Kia Motors Corporation and Hyundai Motor Group.

    Schreyer was also responsible for the design of the original model, which was the first Korean car to receive a red dot design award in 2009. This first accolade was followed by numerous other red dot awards, and the new Kia Soul is the 11th Kia model to receive the prestigious prize.

    Reacting to the award, Schreyer said: “I am particularly pleased with this second red dot design award for the Kia Soul. When the first-generation model launched, the award played a key role in bringing the Kia Soul and Kia’s distinctive design language to the attention of a wider audience.

    “The great challenge we faced when designing the second-generation model was to preserve the strong, individual character of the Kia Soul and, at the same time, give the design new impulses. Our design team has performed this task impressively. The new Kia Soul is a lot more matured and ‘adult’ in appearance, and the bold, distinctive personality of this model is highlighted even more.”

    The design of Kia’s second-generation Soul is inspired by the Kia Track’ster concept shown at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show. Similar to the concept, the production model features a large trapezoidal lower air intake, low fog lights pushed to the edges of the front bumper, Kia’s signature ‘tiger-nose’ grille and the avant-garde design of the rear with the unique ‘floating’ body-coloured panel on the tailgate.

    The high quality comfort of the interior significantly enhances the appeal of the second-generation model.