The Nation Newspaper

Tag: motorcycles

  • Rivers senator gives motorcycles

    Senator Magnus Abe representing Rivers South-East has presented four new motorcycles and six smart phones to the people of B-Dere and K-Dere in Gokana Local Government to enhance surveillance between the two communities.

    The presentation, made less than 48 hours after the senator gave money to 10 youths from Gwara in Khana Local Government for the acquisition of technical skills, is in furtherance of his quest for peaceful co-existence among communities in Ogoni land.

    Presenting the items to the representatives of the communities, Abe, who earlier this year began reconciling the warring communities, said it was done in fulfillment of his promise towards a lasting peace between the communities.

    The items, according to him, would quicken the pace of response to security challenges in the communities, stressing that “it is not what I do that will bring permanent peace but what God puts in your hearts.”

    “Nobody can bring peace except the people themselves want peace. We have seen sincerity and your commitment to peaceful co-existence. So we are supporting you to achieve peace,” the senator said.

    He hailed the people for the spirit of truth pervading the process, saying anywhere truth is, peace naturally exists.

    Abe added that the foundation for peace was justice founded on truth.

    The representative of B-Dere, Chief Anthony Dorgbaa, thanked Senator Abe for his concern, noting that his efforts have strengthened the search for a lasting peace between B-Dere and K-Dere.

  • Firm fights crime with tricycles, motorcycles

    It was a case of killing two birds with a stone. Provide youths with a means of livelihood and you would have helped to check crime.

    That was exactly what a firm, SaveQuick Co-operative Investment, did when it distributed 10 motorcycles and the same number of tricycles to 20 youths in Onitsha, the commercial capital of Anambra State.

    The President of the investment firm, Mr. Okonkwo Gilead, said they were excited about the manner in which the youth are forsaking crime and choosing to earn their keep rather than roam the streets in search of white collar jobs.

    He said: ”This day, we are all gathered to celebrate our success in our first month of live transaction of our E-thrift Technology, a journey that started over five years ago. We are here to celebrate and inform the BoT members, interested partners and prospective investors that we have live records and the acceptability of our product in the market where we operate. We are here to reaffirm our vision, mission and goal.”

    Okonkwo commended Mr. Peter Obi who he said has not only fought criminality to a standstill in the state but also restored the dignity of his people by providing the enabling environment for investors, thus offering employment to youths.

    He said his office has introduced E-saving, E-payment, Mobile User, Online investment and trading among others, Mr. Gilead who is the inventor of the group revealed that the beneficiaries of the moveable assets were picked from their co-operative societies.

    It would be recalled that SaveQuick Co-Operative Investment, on its arrival in Onitsha one year back, has gone into grassroots campaigning for people to come and have their co-operative societies registered with them as an avenue for assisting people who need help.

    Today, he said, there are good testimonies that the group has delivered.

  • ‘Tricycles, motorcycles not banned in Lagos’

    Lagos State government has debunked the allegation that it has banned the operations of tricycles and motorcycles popularly known as Keke Marwa and okada in the state.

    Commissioner for Transportation Comrade Kayode Opeifa, said there was no time the government banned tricycles or motorcycles.

    He said that Section 3 of the Lagos Road Traffic Law 2012 stipulates that ‘No person shall ride, drive or propel a cart, wheel barrow, motorcycle or tricycle on any of the routes specified in Schedule 11 of this Law’.

    According to him, motorcycles and tricycles were only ‘restricted’ on 475 roads out of 9,100 roads in the state including highways and bridges.

    Opeifa said tricycles and the use of unpainted vehicles were restricted on Victoria Island, Government Reserved Areas (GRA) Ikeja and Ikoyi due to requests from residents as a result of the threat tricycles and unpainted vehicles posed to the residents of the area and the increase in the number of armed robbery attacks.

    He said tricycle operators in the state are aware of the law, urging them to disregard the rumour and continue their operations in unrestricted areas in accordance with the Law.

    He appealed to those behind the rumour to desist from such acts as government will continue to ensure the safety and security of the people.

     

  • Uncertainty as Edo bans motorcycles, tricycles

    The ban on motorcycles and tricycles in three local government areas of Edo State takes effect today.

    The government banned motorcycles and tricycles from plying major streets in Oredo; Egor, Ikpoba-Okha and Aduwawa in Uhnmwode and Ekosodin in Ovia Northeast.

    Tricycle operators, according to Governor Adams Oshiomhole, would be allowed to operate “in very remote areas” of the affected local governments areas.

    What caused apprehension among residents was the announcement that those using motorcycles for private use will not be allowed to use them in the restricted areas.

    Oshiomhole, in the broadcast, said the decision to ban motorcycle was painful and that it was in the state’s overall security interest.

    The governor urged residents to comply with the directives as “security agencies have been mobilised to enforce the ban”.

    He said any motorcycle intercepted would be destroyed.

    Oshiomhole said he had met with registered okada riders for provision for alternatives but that the benefits would not accrue to those who came to the state because of the ban in other states.

    “We do not want to bring any hardship on anyone but we are determined to enforce it ruthlessly.

    “ I advise all bike riders to comply and keep off the roads. Should any bike rider defy this order, he will be dealt with ruthlessly. The bike will be confiscated and destroyed.

    “In the overriding interest of our collective security, I ask you to appreciate that this is a sacrifice that you have to make. Everyone must make sacrifice and be security conscious.

    “We have lots of security challenges in the country. There will be a time this issue will be resolved and everyone will be happy.

    “Do not doubt our will to enforce this decision. Motorcycles will be destroyed on my orders. Keep out of our roads in the aforementioned areas.

    “I care about your welfare but we are not about to replace motor bike with Keke NAPEP.

    “Please stay out of trouble. It is not my wish to visit hardship on anyone. It is my duty to provide security for the people. Please respect this order,” he said.

    Those willing to sell off their motorcycles are finding it hard as buyers are haggling prices between N20,000 and N35,000.

    Some said they would keep their motorcycles for future use.

  • Agency rolls out made in Nigeria motorcycles

    The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) on Tuesday rolled out the first made-in-Nigeria motorcycle, named Naseni M1, in Nnewi, Anambra State.

    The motorcycle was designed, fabricated and assembled by the National Engineering Design and Development Institute, Nnewi a subsidiary of NASENI.

    The Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, Dr. Muhammad Sani Haruna, who test-ran the 80cc capacity motorcycle in Nnewi, disclosed that the tricycle designed and produced by the institute would be ready early next year.

    Based on the successes made by NASENI in the production of motorcycles and tricycles, Haruna said it has become imperative for the Federal Government to ban the importation of tricycles and motorcycles.

    He said: “NASENI is angry that all these things are continuously being imported when we have the capacity to produce them locally. We are urging government to ban the importation of these items and we assure government that with the needed financial support, NASENI can do even better than what is being imported.

    “The motorcycles produced here have local components. The plastics and iron used were produced by other institutes of NASENI. The ductile iron that is used was produced by our institute in Akure. The plastic components of it are also partially produced by our institute in Okene and also by a private company here in Nnewi. The electrical aspect of it was produced by Cutix Nigeria PLC in Nnewi.”

    He said the local content of the motorcycle is 85 per cent, while it was designed and fabricated by Nigerians. “The components not produced by NASENI are produced by companies in Nnewi,” he added.

    Haruna said NASENI was already getting into collaborations with private companies that can mass-produce the motorcycles and tricycles.

  • Lawmaker gives tricycles, motorcycles to youths, women

    A member of the House of Representatives, Chief Uzoma Abonta (Ukwa East and West), has presented 12 tricycles and 22 motorcycles to youths and women in the constituency.

    The lawmaker donated the items at the inauguration of the Abonta skill acquisition programme in Obehie, Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia.

    He also gave bursary awards to 40 students while 20 persons were presented with free drivers’ licenses.

    Abonta said the gesture was to improve their means of livelihood and empower the beneficiaries to become employers of labour.

    He said he had also established a skills acquisition centre for the graduates in the area to enable them acquire skills and be self-employed.

    The lawmaker stressed the need for public and private sector partnership to provide jobs for Nigerian youths and reduce criminality in the society.

    He attributed the increasing rate of criminality in the country to joblessness.

    He said that collaboration between the government and private organisations to create jobs would help to checkmate crimes and make the youth productive.

    Abonta, who is the Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Privatisation, said the Nigerian labour market was saturated with job seekers.

    He advised graduates to acquire skills to complement their educational qualifications and stop looking for white collar jobs.

    “If graduates acquire additional skills like fish farming, poultry and others, it will help to put food on their table,’’ he said.

    One of the beneficiaries of the gesture, Mr Nwakalamba Egbu, assured the lawmaker that he and other beneficiaries would judiciously utilise their gift.

    “We will do our best not to disappoint you,’’ he said.