The Nation Newspaper

Tag: PAN

  • PAN ready to meet Nigeria’s car demand

    Peugeot Automobile Nigeria (PAN) has again restated its commitment to producing quality vehicles that would meet the demand of Nigerians. It also called on the Federal Government adhere to the national automotive policy.

    PAN’s Managing Director, Alhaji Ibrahim Boyi, who stated this while receiving officials of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) in his Kaduna office, said his company would meet the demand of members of the association. He said PAN has the capacity to meet the demand of the 16 million members of RTEAN and produce enough cars for other Nigerian users under the automotive policy of the government.

    The Managing Director of PAN told the officials of RTEAN who visited the company plant in Kaduna that since PAN commenced production of the new 301 Peugeot in Nigeria recently, there had been an increase in demand by Nigerians, while the window for expansion in employment had also opened.

    RTEAN’s National President, High Chief Musa Shehu Isiwele, said the group recently launched its mass transit scheme with N17.5 billion. Under the scheme, 4000 vehicles had been distributed to members across the country, Isiwele said.

    He said RTEAN is seeking PAN’s partnership in a quest to support the Federal Government Automotive Development Plan, which was a component of President Goodluck Jonathan’s agenda in the automobile manufacturing in the country.

    “The new auto policy, which was endorsed by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) last year, was put in place to promote investment in the auto sub-sector which in turn will minimise the importation of vehicles into the country, and create new opportunities for our citizens.

    “I remember with nostalgia, when PAN alone used to produce over 50,000 vehicles annually, catering for the transportation requirements of our members. Considering the amount of money that your products, namely, Peugeot 504 and 505 both saloon and station wagon, generated for our members, we owe it a duty to join hands with the present management of the company in their renewed efforts in repositioning this auto plant in Nigeria, and in Africa,” he said.

  • Paediatricians want Chibok girls back

    HE Paediatic Association of Nigeria (PAN) has  appealed to the abductors of the Chibok girls to release them  so that they can re-unite with their parents.

    According to the association, the continued detention of the remaining 219 girls  is a cause of great concern to it as an ssociation.

    In a statement made available to The Nation and signed by its President, Prof Adebiyi Olowu and National Secretary, Jerome Elusiyan, the harrowing experience the girls are being subjected to in the past two months is beyond imagination.

    “The health needs of these adolescent girls- physical, mental and psychological – could hardly be met outside their natural homes. The effects of the psychological abuse already suffered by these innocent girls may last longer than the duration of their abduction and indeed their families share in the extreme impact of the pains of this terrorist act. Paediatricians across the country commiserate with the parents, family and friends of these children,” they stated.

    The association said it joined other well-meaning Nigerians to appeal to the government to take the release of these girls as topmost priority to prevent further deterioration of their health. While it appreciates the efforts of government so far, they said the safe release of all the girls will be the only yardstick of a successful effort.

  • Imo, Bethel Amadi and Pan African Parliament

    With the recent granting of legislative powers to the Pan African Parliament (PAP) by the General Assembly of the Africa Union (AU), the stage is set for the body to play the expected role of accelerating the economic development of the continent and galvanise the peoples of Africa toward good governance and true democratic culture. This development is the result of years of effort by the PAP, led by Nigerian born Bethel Amadi, to reposition the parliament. Down home in Imo State where Amadi comes from, there is a growing euphoria over the strategic role this son of the soil is playing at the continental level. Many indigenes of the state believe that the experience being garnered by Amadi, who is a foremost governorship aspirant in the state, will be handy in repositioning the state for a comprehensive political, economic and social transformation.
    Right now, the people are battling over whom, among the several governorship aspirants, can foot the bill. As a matter of fact, at no time in its history has the state witnessed such a calibre of governorship aspirants: ranking legislators, erudite scholars, brilliant lawyers, top flight professionals, etc.
    Collectively, Barr. Bethel Nnaemeka Amadi, like other aspirants, savour in this salutary perception but chief among the things that really set him aside is the Pan African Presidency exposure. It is tempting to argue that the presidency of a Pan African Parliament, sitting in far away South Africa, has no immediate bearing with the welfare and aspirations of the people down here. But that is at once erroneous and fallacious. Such a notion might simply have arisen because Hon. Amadi, in his characteristic modesty and self effacing mien, has not deemed it fit to flaunt the PAP credentials. But as noted above, that amounts to, knowingly and unknowingly, concealing vital information from his own people, who are desirous of parameters that go beyond what they are used to for years, in the search for who presides over their affairs as political chief executive come May 29th 2015.
    Out there, the polity is almost saturated with allusions to the fact that the Imo electorate does not always go for the loudest campaigner in choosing their governor. They do not also like those who delight in flaunting opulence as a way of demonstrating that they are already too wealthy to succumb to the temptation of pilfering public funds. If these are just what the people are after, then Hon. Amadi, in the eyes of many, is one of the very few that are worthy of asking for the peoples’ mandate. But the truth is that the highly discerning and sophisticated Imo electorate is going beyond the ordinary this time around. Within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for example, there are those who are advocating the “thief-to-catch-the-thief” theory.
    Another version is that it would take a fellow who can match the incumbent governor- thug for thug and violence for violence. Apart from the fact that this argument falls flat on the face of the experience in the state as already seen above, the highly discerning and sophisticated people of Imo State are very much conscious of the fact that the world is moving away from political hooliganism. If anything, there are strong indications that what the people will be looking out for are those with exposure that will make governance in the state not business as usual. This is where Hon. Amadi comes in. There is an Igbo adage to the effect that a breast owner should not suck the bare skin (Madu Anaghi Enwe Ara Na Anu Akpu). This aphorism may well illustrate the situation in Imo if the people are not made to take full advantage of the exposure of the likes of Bethel Amadi in the next dispensation.
    Amadi was elected president of the Pan African Parliament in September 2012 after a year’s stint as Vice President and after more than two years as a member of that Parliament. His ascendancy to that pre-eminent position came at a time when the parliament was going through a transformation process as a legislative organ of the African Union (AU).
    His presidency took this transformation very seriously because he believes that a Pan African Parliament, with legislative powers will strengthen African’s democratic institutions, promote continental integration and boost intra-African trade. In the last couple of years, the PAP under Amadi’s leadership has established a framework for deepening democratic governance as well as promoting peace and security. Under him, PAP has established relationships with regional and continental bodies. Among the benefits garnered from such interface is the recent strategic partnership between PAP and the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) for the advancement of sustainable responses to the scourge in the continent. Also to the benefit of the continent is the strategic partnership with the UN for addressing the human rights challenges in Africa. His administration has also come up with programmes for integrating the African continent with regional and national parliaments.
    One key evidence of this is the emergence of the annual conference of Speakers of African National Parliaments. Through this conference, regional and national parliaments are sensitized on existing African Union legal instruments, the need to achieve speedy ratification and how to apply the legal instruments in the enforcement of basic human and legal rights across the African continent. Another area the PAP has made huge impact under Hon. Amadi is on the promotion of gender equality and affirmative action for women in the continent. This interest arises from Hon. Amadi’s personal belief that this vulnerable segment of the global community, which represents half of the global population, should be constructively engaged in Africa’s development agenda. To this end, PAP under Amadi established the Pan African Parliament and Women Conference during which issues on gender imbalances are highlighted.
    So, how will all this affect the lives of the common man on the streets of Owerri when Hon. Bethel Nnaemeka Amadi becomes the governor of Imo state? Here is how: Amadi’s job as PAP President has so exposed him that some describe him as the most exposed politician or public office holder in Nigeria today.
    As has been seen above, PAP has in the last couple of years under Amadi taken concrete steps towards inculcating the ideals of good governance and the strengthening of democratic institutions. The two are the bane of democracy in Nigeria.
    As governor, Amadi will be the cynosure of his contemporaries across the continent, nay all over the world, who will definitely be interested in seeing how he would apply his experiences to the benefit of his own people. Even for the worst pessimist, a stint as governor would offer an opportunity to practicalise what he had advocated for years.
    Apart from the benefits of a mere robust and democratic framework that would naturally trail a gubernatorial outing by Hon. Amadi, his wealth of contacts and networks across the continent and beyond will come handy in pursuing a sustainable development agenda for the state.
    In Nigeria, the federal and state governments have faced the perennial problem of inability to access funds and resources from international agencies due to lack of technical knowhow and correct contacts. That will no longer be the fate of a place like Imo under the leadership of a fellow like Bethel Amadi. Under him, Imo will cease to be among the states where governors have no contacts abroad and yet make a song and dance of bringing foreign investors to their states.
    Under Amadi, the state will save resources that were hitherto spent on foreign trips because most of the agencies, based on their established relationship with him, will come here on their own or at least on minimal expenses by the state.
    The narrowing down of the world into a “global village” came with stupendous benefits which have eluded the people of Africa, including Nigerians.
    Therefore, involving key players in the international corporate arena like Hon. Bethel Amadi will do Nigeria a lot of good. Needless to say, highly sophisticated people like Ndi Imo should develop a way of keying into the process by leveraging on the rare privilege of having amongst them a fellow like Amadi who is already there.
    —— Nwachukwu wrote in from Owerri, Imo State

  • PAN starts assembly of vehicles next month

    PAN starts assembly of vehicles next month

    PAN Nigeria Limited Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Alhaji Ibrahim Boyi, said the assembly of Peugeot in the country will begin next month.

    Boyi made this known at the just concluded Auto fair in Lagos.

    According to him, PAN has all it takes to compete with other companies in assembling cheaper but quality products in the country.

    The company, he said, will start with the  assemblage of 301, followed by 508 and 408 within the next 16 months.

    Boyi said the only way to gain market share is to offer something different and worthwhile.

    He promised that the new PAN management would do all it could to return the company to its glorious past when it churned out 90,000 vehicles daily.

    PAN, he said, is giving the new auto policy top priority.

    “By 2015, we will start full CKD assembly, and this will generate the most local content. So, it is a great opportunity for people that want to ride on the back of this policy. PAN is already working with the association of auto component manufacturers to create clusters and the Minister of Transport has been informed that we are ready to work with auto component manufacturers that show enough seriousness in our cluster in Kaduna,” he said.

    He reiterated that the objective of the new auto policy is to encourage local production; local development of skill and manpower; for employment and create local opportunity.

    “We are fully in support of the policy and we want to assure everybody, including those who may not like the policy, that the policy will only do one thing, naturally help improve the Nigerian people. Despite all the opposition and the fear that the policy will generate, we will be able to create more opportunities for our people and all will translate into better and cheaper products,” he said.

    Boyi lamented the increasing proliferation of fake spare parts in the market.

    According to him, there are about 70 to 80 per cent fake spares in the market.

    “The chance of you buying original spare parts is only 20 or 30 per cent. We are concerned that those customers, who buy PAN vehicles, get full value from the vehicles. Strategically as an organisation, we are concerned about the provision of spares. A lot of companies suffer this problem. Cost of ownership of vehicles has been so much mainly because of the incidences of fake spare part in the market. We want to ensure the integrity of after sales, because Peugeot brand is known as vehicles that anyone everywhere can maintain. We will like to bring that back into our system,” he stated.

  • PAN set for Peugeot 301, 508 production

    PAN set for Peugeot 301, 508 production

    The new Automotive Policy has received a boost with the consolidation of Technical and Commercial synergy between Automobile Peugeot (AP) France and Peugeot Automobile of Nigeria (PAN) Nigeria Limited.

    To strengthen the Technical and Commercial agreement renewed with AP France last year, the management of PAN has received a team of auto manufacturing experts from AP France, who came in to inspect the company’s facilities in readiness for the production of Peugeot 301 and 508 vehicles scheduled for the second quarter of the year

    This development is coming barely three months after the Federal Government approved the new Automotive Development Plan aimed at developing Nigeria’s Automotive Industry (NIA), and place Nigeria in the league of auto-producing countries.

    AP France team expressed delight with the standard of the factory’s equipment, and expressed confidence that PAN is ready to commence production.

    PAN Nigeria Limited Managing Director, Mr Ibrahim Boyi, who received the team, thanked the visitors.

    PAN, Boyi said, was ready to re-establish its position as the pioneer and leading auto manufacturer in Nigeria.

  • PAN gets new board

    PAN gets new board

    Assets Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) has reconstituted the Board of PAN Nigeria Limited following the successful restructuring of the automobile company’s debt for equity swap.

    The new Board has Yariman Zazzau, Alhaji Mohammed Munir Ja’afaru, as Chairman.

    In 2008 banking industry had experienced crises evidenced by huge number of non-performing loans (NPL), inadequate capital ratio and poor corporate governance in many of the banks. AMCON was established on July 19, 2010 to help revive and stabilise the economy by resolving the NPL.

    The Board also has Mr. Ibrahim Boyi as Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, while Mr Jumat Oluwafuyi Alli and Mr. Jaime Pena will serve as Executive Directors.

    Also, Alhaji Tajudeen Ahmed Datti and Alhaji Sani Dauda are non-Executive Directors.

    PAN Nigeria Limited, manufacturers of Peugeot, and of recent, Changan brands of auto-mobile, is one of the manufacturing companies that was hit with heavy debts that consequently led to the intervention of AMCON.