The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ABC

  • The ABC of Ibadan violence

    SIR: For the residents of Oke-Ado in the heart of Ibadan, Oyo State, as well as those living in the Born Photo-Popoyemeja-Idi Arere axis of the ancient city, Friday, November 21 and Sunday, November 23, are days they would never forget in a hurry. On those two days, hell was let loose and the peace which had been reigning in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, since the advent of the Abiola Ajimobi administration, was shattered.

    At Oke-Ado, what was supposed to be a peaceful rally by the All Progressives Congress (APC) party to be addressed by the governor as part of his tour of Ibadan South-West Local Government Area of the state was hijacked by hoodlums.  Governor Ajimobi, who had gone round 32 local government areas in the state, was billed to visit the last council area on Friday, November 21 to round off the tour. As it had been done in other local governments, APC leaders, party faithful, various organizations and ordinary members of the public had converged on Liberty Road Junction and amidst singing and dancing, were waiting for the governor who had earlier on that day visited Ido Local Government Area.

    Suddenly, gunshots started booming from a part of the rally venue; hoodlums went on the prowl and the music came to an abrupt end as everybody started running for dear lives. By the time the dust settled, a police inspector, who was among the policemen deployed to maintain law and order at the rally venue, had been shot dead while another one and scores of other people sustained varying degrees of injuries and were quickly rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment.

    As if that was not enough, the city also witnessed violence again at the Born Photo-Popoyemeja-Idi Arere community early on Sunday, November 23, leaving many people injured and property worth millions of Naira destroyed. The area boys, according to reports, arrived the area in the wee hours of that day, shooting sporadically and forcing their way into people’s houses, robbing them of their valuables. They were said to have destroyed any property on sight, including cars and tricycles parked on the street.

    Since the incidents occurred, there have been accusations and counter-accusations, with APC pointing fingers at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Accord Party (AP) as the masterminds of the crises while the two parties have been fighting tooth and nail to distance themselves from the ugly development. APC has even gone a step further by calling on the state police command to carry out thorough investigations to unravel those behind the mayhem.

    Whoever could have been the masterminds, the fact still remains that thuggery, violence and brigandage, which used to characterize the Ibadan metropolis before the restoration of peace by the Ajimobi administration, are gradually creeping back into the ancient city. The fact is that the agents of violence, who had been in limbo since 2011, have cashed in on the race for the 2015 general elections to renew their violence.

    If for anything, one thing that the present administration in Oyo State is identified with is peace and tranquility which Governor Ajimobi has on several occasions described as the bedrock of the unprecedented development that the state has witnessed in recent time. As a result of the peaceful atmosphere, several local and foreign investors have berthed in the state to partner the government in bring development. The resultant effect is the springing up of firms in all the nooks and crannies of the state, while government itself has also not wavered in the execution of people-oriented projects across the state.

    It therefore, behoves on the people of Oyo State to rise up collectively and say no to violence in whatever form. They should, without any hesitation, tell the agents of darkness and enemies of progress who are sworn to do everything they could to truncate the current peace, to steer clear of the state. Never again should the people of Oyo State allow the power mongers to hijack the state and return it to the path of retrogression. The police should also not shirk their responsibilities of going on the trail of the brigands and their godfathers. It is only by doing these that the state can continue to witness more development in an atmosphere devoid of violence and brigandage.

    • Sola Animasahun

    Ibadan, Oyo State.

  • The ABC of doing business in Nigeria

    The ABC of doing business in Nigeria

    As Nigeria continues to grow economically, so do the trade opportunities for South African businesses. According to Hennie Heymans, managing director for DHL Express South Africa, despite Nigeria recently taking the number one spot as the largest economy in Africa, remains an untapped source of growth, and with internet and telecommunications technologies providing global reach, there has never been a better time to explore cross-border trade opportunities.

    DHL’s own small and medium enterprise (SME) research on internationalisation, conducted with IHS Global Insight, revealed that SMEs who trade internationally are twice as successful as those who trade only within their own market.

    “Nigeria is bursting with opportunities given its diversifying sectors, and has become the market to consider within Africa given its exceptional growth.”

    Heymans warns though that it is vital for business owners to research the environment before entering the market. “Entry into the Nigerian market may seem cumbersome, but the market, catering to a population of over 170million, is relatively open to businesses outside of the traditional oil and gas sector given that the larger population has created a demand for fast moving consumer goods, health care products, as well as a need for retail, food, telecommunications and other consumer related necessities.”

    Businesses also need to consider possible challenges, says Heymans. “Potential supply chain disruptions are a concern due to traffic gridlocks in most major cities, as well as congestion and possible delays at customs. The power grid is also under constant pressure which results in most companies relying on generators for their power supply.”

    Other aspects to bear in mind are the country’s unique and diverse regions, cultures and people. Companies often make the mistake of moving into Africa with a ‘one size fits all’ approach. According to market intelligence agency WARC, West Africans have an outlook closely aligned to the US, therefore understanding the differing cultures and their preference is important when considering expansion. “More importantly, business entering the Nigerian market, or any market for that matter should not only understand the different cultures but respect them,” says Heymans.

    He adds that businesses need to bear in mind that Nigeria, along with many other African countries, is an emerging economy and with this will come unique challenges and require patience, persistence and flexibility when conducting business.

    “The emergence of the Nigerian market is relatively new. There is always the question of risk versus reward when investing in any country in Africa, and Nigeria is no different. These risks can be mitigated and managed with proper planning and the assistance of trusted and established partners. Whilst perceived risks may be high, the rewards are equally high since Nigerians are discerning consumers and will readily pay for quality products and services. When expanding into unfamiliar regions, both in Africa and globally, businesses should partner with a trusted supplier who is experienced in the field and one that is able to provide advice and support in the region,”  Heymans added.

  • Ajimobi’s wife’s clinic gets HPV-screening machine

    Ajimobi’s wife’s clinic gets HPV-screening machine

    Access Basic HealthCare (ABC) Clinic, which is one of the pet projects of the Oyo State governor’s wife, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, has acquired a Cobas 4800 machine for Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) screening.

    Chief Operating Officer of the clinic Mrs. Dolapo Oyedipe told reporters that HPV screening enables women to detect cervical cancer early, adding that every sexually active woman should go for HPV screening regularly.

    Explaining that HPV screening is different from Pap Smear, Mrs. Oyedipe said: “The HPV screening machine is fully automated, sensitive and gives instant results. Before now, we did not have an equipment for detecting the virus. This new machine detects the virus easily before things get out of hands.”

    She said only four organisations in Nigeria have the HPV screening machine and their charges are high.

    Mrs. Oyedipe said the screening fee was subsidised at ABC clinic, adding: “Cancer is difficult to manage; that is why it is called a terminal disease, but it can be prevented. That is why we are hammering on regular screening. Once it starts, it is difficult and almost impossible to manage.”

     

  • 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.

  • ABC Transport wins award

    ABC Transport plc has received the Best Land Transporter in Nigeria award at the Abuja Bantaba Awards organised by Akwaaba Travel Market, publishers of the African Travellers Magazine.

    The award was conferred on ABC Transport in recognition of its outstanding services in land transportation.

    ABC Transport earlier got the “Service Excellence Award” at the maiden edition of the Nigerian Consumer Awards in Abuja and the “Most Organised Transport Company” at the eighth edition of the Nigerian Auto Awards in Lagos.

    The company has added 10 new luxury coaches to its fleet. These coaches are equipped with on-board security surveillance cameras, GPRS tracking technology and speed control limiters.

    Before the end of the third quarter, five more coaches will be acquired and deployed to the domestic routes, “ the firm said.

    It is set to take delivery of 23 new mini buses for its Sprinter Service and Shuttle Service operations,” it added.