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  • Maritime workers seek rail transport removal from Exclusive list

    The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has urged the Federal Government to remove rail transportation from the Exclusive Legislative list and add it to Concurrent list to attract private investments to the sector. This, they said, will enhance efficiency at the seaports.

    Speaking with The Nation, the union’s Assistant Secretary-General, Comrade Abudu Eroje, said the country was facing gridlock in Apapa because the ports were not connected to functional rail lines.

    According to him, aside the Lagos Ports Complex, Apapa, which has a rail system that is not working, none of the seaports is connected to rail system. This, he lamented, has made movement of cargoes in and out of the seaports difficult, since it must be by road, with the attendant gridlock and additional cost.

    He said the gridlock being experienced in Apapa and environs will be a child’s play compared to what will be experienced in Badagry and Lekki when the two mega deep seaports become operational if they are not connected by rail

    “Nobody can talk of an efficient seaport operation without an efficient rail system to move goods in and out of the ports. Even if you repair all the roads in Apapa, there will still be gridlock because it will keep increasing until you connect the seaports to the rail systems so that cargoes will go out and come in any time of the day because the seaports operate 24 hours.

    “The best the Federal Government can do now is to remove the rail system from the exclusive legislative list and place same on the concurrent list so that state governments, even private investors, some of who are developing mega deep seaports, can invest in the rail sector without which the nation’s seaports may never be efficient,” he said.

    On problems associated with the management of empty containers, he urged the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to convert the Lily Pond Container Terminal, Ijora, which he said, has the capacity to take over 12,000 containers, to empty container depot to avoid containers littering everywhere on Lagos roads and streets.

    He argued that the transfer of some consignments to eastern ports, especially the Port Harcourt Port, as being canvassed by some people, might not address the challenge, saying it will cost the importer over N2 million to return one empty container to Lagos.

    The only permanent solution, according to him, is the dredging of the eastern channels to take vessels as well as decentralising rail systems by allowing individuals to invest in the sector.

  • Stakeholders seek paradigm shift

    The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) must enforce discipline on recalcitrant firms and promoteMarket Development and Restructuring Initiative (MDRI), among others, to ensure the growth of the sector this year, Omobola Tolu-Kusimo writes.

    With the desperate need for paradigm shift in insurance business, the regulator,  National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) and operators are at crossroads on what to do.

    They are at a dilemma on how to grow the sector, deepen its penetration, promote and protect policy holders. They are also at a loss on how to facilitate access to insurance and growth strategy that identifies and develops new market segments for products, targeting non-buying customers in targeted segments, as well as new segments with the aim of growing the sector’s premium generation; and enhance its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

    This is coming on the heels of the cancellation of the two major policies, the Tier-Based Minimum Solvency Capital (TBMSC) and the State Insurance Producer (SIP) by NAICOM. The polices ARE aimed at growing the sector.

    There are divergent views on how to push the industry to, at least, N1trillion sector, a goal they have pursued with the Market Development and Restructuring Initiative (MDRI)  initiative since 2009.

    A key goal of NAICOM’s financial inclusion strategy is to increase insurance penetration to 40 per cent by 2020, however, insurance penetration and density have remained low.

    Industry observers are, therefore, wondering what can happen in the sector this year to make a difference.

    On the other hand, experts said cognitive steps should be taken by NAICOM and individual operators.

    For them, there must be a shift from how businesses are done by operators and how the regulator handles the industry.

    Experts’ views

    A major stakeholder in the sector has advised NAICOM to focus its energy on discipline as it is a major tool needed to bring the industry to the right path.

    He urged the regulator to live up to its responsibility and withdraw licenses of firms  not paying genuine claims in the industry.

    He described the cancelled recapitalisation exercise as a waste of time, noting that if the commission ask insurers to recapitalise 10 times, some will still not pay claims.

    NAICOM, he said, should also renew its focus on other initiatives of the industry, especially the MDRI and enforce the policy.

    He noted that the regulator and operators should come together and promote the six compulsory insurance products, which include Motor Third Party, Group Life, Professional Indemnity, Builders’/Occupiers’ Liability and Public Building Liability Insurances, pointing out that they should also promote micro insurance, Takaful insurance products and industry rebranding, among others.

    The industry, according to him, has been plagued by a negative image among consumers due to an impression that insurers do not pay claims, low levels of awareness, and lack of tailored products, adding that the regulator should highlight them as key concerns and work towards improving consumer confidence and curb malpractices in the industry.

    He said: “The regulator should eliminate unethical practices and withdraw licenses of recalcitrant companies. The cancelled recapitalisation exercise is a waste of time. If the commission ask insurers to recapitalise 10 times, those who will not pay claims will not pay.

    “So why not take actions by suspending their licenses. If you suspend some of them, others will sit up. There is need for NAICOM to change its strategy. No company want its name mentioned in the news as an errant company and they will do anything to avoid it from happening.

    “The problem of the industry is failure of insurance companies to settle claims, unhealthy competition among operators, low awareness, low level of financial literacy, among others.”

    Deputy Commissioner for Insurance, Sunday Thomas lamented the unhealthy and unethical practices among operators. He spoke during a workshop on “End of Year Sector Review/Projection 2019”, organised by NAICOM for Insurance and Pension Corespondents in Lagos.

    According to him, rate cutting is a development that is hurting the industry as it affects premium income. “Rate cutting is a regrettable act that must be addressed to increase insurance contribution to the GDP. There was a point in this market when 10 per cent for comprehensive insurance was sacrosanct, but later, it came down to five per cent and that became the standard. But it got to a point that some operators were charging as low as one per cent. Also, there was a point that third party was N5, 000 and it also came to a point where people were charging N1,000 and the market was producing N200 million premium income from this business. If they decide to charge N5000, what is the market likely to produce?

    “This challenge must be addressed by insurers to increase the stake of the industry to pay genuine claims as and when due because when a risk is underpriced, it affects the ability to promptly pay claims,” he said.

    The Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) Chairman, Mr. Tope Smart said the nation’s economy has been projected to expand by about 2.5 per cent in 2019, promising that insurance industry will take advantage of this expected growth.

    “We have figures of the growth of about 20 per cent when you compare the figure for 2017 and 2018 and I hope 2019 will be better. By the time we have the end of the year result, we will be having what I call a very positive result. The industry will continue to pioritise claims settlement and both regulator and operators are working together to put insurance companies on their toes to pay genuine claims through NIA and NAICOM complaint bureaus,” Smart, who is also NEM Insurance Plc Managing Director/CEO, pointed out.

    NSIA Insurance Limited Managing Director, Mrs. Ebelechukwu Nwachukwu said insurance in 2018 grew significantly in terms of the quality of products insurers rolled out, the quality of channels of distribution, the quality of people they engaged and the commitment of insurers to grow the people, thereby, increasing insurance penetration in the country.

    She said: “If we can push all of these over and over in 2019, I have no doubt at all that penetration will increase and premium will rise also. Today, the industry is paying better salary and so, people are better; operators study more than any other industry I have engaged with, they are dedicated to writing examinations, attending seminars, conferences and workshops. They want to be heard and an insurance person wants to be heard intelligently.

    “It is important for the average Nigerians or even the so called below average families to insure their risks with insurance companies.”

    Industry performance

    The Commissioner for Insurance, Mohammed Kari said the industry has a total premium value of N376 billion in 2017 with less than 1 per cent of Nigerians under insurance cover.

    “In the second quarter of 2018, the insurance sector recorded growth by 6.07 per cent. The sector grew by 3.49 per cent in nominal terms year on year, with a growth rate for the financial sector at 3.01 per cent for the period.

    “Insurance sector contribution to Nigeria’s GDP is 0.4 per cent. Also, the contribution of finance and insurance sector to the real GDP totaled 3.31 per cent, lower slightly than the contribution of 3.32 per cent recorded in the second quarter of 2017, and lower than 3.55 per cent recorded in the preceding quarter.”

    Industry’s initiatives and their downsides MDRI

    The Commission introduced the MDRI in 2009, among other initiatives, to change the industry’s narratives. It was expected that at the end of the implementation of the MDRI’s first phase, which was to end in 2012, the following would have been achieved: Gross Premium Income (GPI) would have grown from N164.50 billion to N1 trillion; Insurance contribution to GDP would have grown from 0.72 per cent to 3.0 per cent; Premium per capita, from N825.00 to N7,500 and; Insurance gap would be reduced from 94 per cent to seven per cent.

    Ten years after, the industry has not achieved the MDRI goals and it is, indeed, far from being achieved.

    Compulsory insurance

    Kari said NAICOM launched the first phase of MDRI in 2009 to among others create awareness on the existence of these classes of insurance and educate the public on the benefits of compulsory insurance to the individual and the Nigerian economy. The Commission did so much in this regard across the six geo-political zones in the country.

    He said not much could have be achieved in the area of enforcement by officers and men of relevant Federal agencies.

    “The various organs to drive the enforcement are not knowledgeable of the products or laws they are meant to enforce. On the other hand, enforcement would become easier if individuals and entities meant to consume these products are made aware of the benefits inherent in the consumption of these products. There is no doubt that compliance with the laws on compulsory insurance will go a long way to mitigate the adverse exposure to disaster by individuals with access to public places.

    “The beneficial importance of compulsory insurance is evident in all sphere of live as it guarantees a form of protection and compensation to victims, provided that they are insured, hence they do not have to bear huge financial burden.  It also serves as a form of social assistance for the vulnerable people in the society. To the economy, the government would not have to bear the burden alone during catastrophic events such as natural disaster, fire accident thereby saving the government money which can be channeled to augmenting the needs of the citizenry, providing infrastructures and creating employment, among others.

    “But the level of compliance with compulsory insurance in the country is still very low. We are working on how to enforce these products towards the attainment of a higher level of compliance.”

    Takaful insurance

    The Commissioner stressed that Takaful is both ethical financing and cooperative risk protection methods that are superior alternatives, because they reinvigorate human capital, solidarity, emphasise dignity, community self-help and economic self-development, to generate manifold benefits, which appeal not only to Muslims but all. “I encourage the people of Kano to embrace it for their protection against risks,” he said.

    The Takaful insurance initiative by NAICOM, he explained, was to complement the efforts of the Financial System Strategy 2020 (FSS2020) as part of the Financial Inclusion initiative aimed at reaching the larger percentage of Nigerians that are unreached and financially excluded.

  • Niger’s remote communities seek continuation of UNICEF outreach

    Over 850 remote communities in Niger State have appealed to the United Nations Children Education Fund (UNIECF) to continue its ‘Hard-to-Reach’ medical outreach services, and not leave it in the hands of the state government as government has no means to sustain the project.

    On a visit to most of the communities, the reporter discovered that before the coming of the UNICEF team, residents had to travel over 5km especially through very difficult terrain to access health services.

    The Nation learnt that the Hard-to-Reach medical outreach programme began in Niger state in March 2016 and is slated to end by December 2018.

    In Niger state, there are over 4000 Hard-to-Reach communities which are usually 5 kilometers or more from a functional primary healthcare center, they are usually without any basic amenities including potable water, electricity, schools, health facilities, good road network and even mobile network.

    When Northern Report visited three of the Hard-to-Reach communities in Shiroro, Wushishi and Kagara local government areas of Niger state, the cries of the people were the same, they did not want the programme to end as an end to the programme would signal a decline to their health status.

    In Moilo Shegunu community in Shiroro Local Government Area, one of the Community Leader, Alhaji Bulus Zarumai who described the UNICEF Hard-to-Reach programme as God-sent to the people in the community said the presence of the health workers had saved a lot of lives of children in the community especially children under the age of five years adding that since the inception of the programme in 2016, there have been no incident of maternal mortality in the community and malnutrition cases have been reduced to the minimum.

    “UNICEF is God’s sent, they came to heal people from different diseases especially in my community. The presence of this organization in my area has saved a lot of lives that could have been perished; it affords our children the opportunity to be immunized against killer diseases that are killing children under the age of five. “

    Zarumai lamented over the lack of government presence in the community which is telling on their children and women as the children cannot conveniently go to schools especially as they will have to trek or take motorcycles to the nearest town which will take not less than 30 minutes on motorcycles and an hour on foot.

    “We have not felt government intervention for years, since the creation of Niger state; we have not felt government presence in this community. They treat us as if we are not from the state, it is unfortunate. Our children trek daily to school, we have no hospital, no good road.

    The road to community is horrible; we find it extremely difficult to take our women and children to the nearest Primary Health Centre that is more than 40 kilometers away.”

    Another resident, Zainab Kuta said they have been enjoying the UNICEF Hard-to-Reach program and they have confidence in the drugs being given to them, “UNICEF drugs is far better than what they give to us in  government hospital, once we take the drugs no matter what is your problem  you will be healed. Their drugs are very effective when compared with that of government, honestly.”

  • Ship owners seek enforcement of Cabotage Act

    Indigenous ship owners have criticised the Federal Government for not enforcing the Coastal and Inland Shipping Act 2003 (Cabotage Act) to enable them participate in crude oil lifting.

    A member of the group, Captain Niyi Labinjo, urged the government to implement the law to allow indigenous firms to participate in oil business.

    The country, he said, exports about 2.5 million barrels of oil yearly, wondering why indigenous ship owners are not empowered to lift about 1.5 million barrels.

    The banks, the former ISAN scribe said, are willing to give them loans if the government could give them some quantities of crude to carry.

    He cited Brazil where the government approves about 700 agencies, to issue certificates of compliance on local content.

    Labinjo said about five years ago, the government trained 200 cadets under the National Seafarers Development Programme. He noted that since there were not enough shipping firms to work with, the cadets have been jobless.

    He advised the government to provide enough funds for the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, Akwa Ibom State, to enable the academy to produce cadets.

    He, therefore, sought proper compliance with Nigerian Content Act and encouragement of the association to participate fully in the cabotage regime.

    “We will continue to press the government. We’ll continue to make our views known about the need for proper compliance with cabotage; about the need for proper compliance with the Nigerian Content Act.

    “For instance, if I have a government that is insisting that this year out of the 2.5 million barrels of oil that Nigeria exports, 1.5 million barrels would be carried by Nigerians and they say, ‘ISAN take this 1.5 million barrels, go and carry it,’ we will gladly go to the bank; the bank will give us money and we will do it.

    “So, if you say what is our expectation; then, we will say this year we will struggle to carry the one million the government has given to us and hopefully by next year, we will do 1.5 million barrels. That is the expectation.

    “That is what has happened in the case of Brazil. Their government insists that they must use local content and the government approved about 700 agencies, which were issuing certificates of compliance on local content.

    “So, if you are producing this locally and it is being used by the oil and gas sector, someone will intend to continue to do it,” he said.

     

  • FIDA, NOA seek end to killings in Plateau

    As Nigeria celebrated its Independence Day yesterday, the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) have called for an end to the killings in Plateau State.

    In separate interviews yesterday with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos, the state capital, the organisations expressed optimism that mutual respect would foster unity and forestall further killings in Plateau State and other parts of the country.

    FIDA’s Chairperson in Plateau State Mrs Mary Izam said Nigeria at 58 was worth celebrating but could further progress if Nigerians learnt to live in peace and harmony.

    She said: “Nigerians should refuse using religious and ethnic diversity to destabilise the nation. We want a new Nigeria where improving the quality of lives of the people is our major priority.

    “We condemn the killings of innocent lives in the recent attacks in Plateau and other parts of the country, as every life is sacred and valuable in this country.”

    The FIDA official also praised the security agencies for their tireless efforts in this critical period of the country.

    She called for more synergy between them and community leaders in addressing security matters.

    Izam also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure the release of Leah Sharibu, the only girl still in captivity out of the 110 Dapchi schoolgirls abducted in February.

    The FIDA chairperson said she has a right to liberty as a Nigerian citizen.

    Also, the NOA director in Plateau State, Mr Bulus Dabit, said the drivers of crisis in the stae and other parts of the country were not religious people but persons with criminal intents.

    He said: “It is unfortunate how these miscreants easily mobilise the religiously inclined and responsible citizens to perpetrate their agenda in order to undermine our collective security.”

  • Lawyers seek review of FoB policy

    The Free-on-Board (FoB) policy is causing the country a huge loss, maritime lawyers and ship owners have said.

    They are praying the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Managing Director (MD) Ms Hadiza Usman and Nigerian Maritime Admini-stration  Safety Agency (NIMASA) Director-General (DG) Dr Dakuku Peterside  to champion a review of the policy.

    FoB allows a buyer to pay for the shipment and landing costs of goods from the port of origin.

    A maritime lawyer, Mr Felix Adeyemo, urged the Federal Government to adopt Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF) for the lifting of crude oil.

    CIF, he said, gives the seller the right to arrange for the ferrying of goods by sea to a port of destination, and provide the buyer with the documents necessary to collect them from the carrier.

    Another maritime lawyer, Mr Muhammed Adegoroye, said the failure to enforce the NIMASA Act, 2007, 10 years after its enactment was a major part on the problem.

    He said Nigeria is the only country still using the FoB policy.

    A member of the Ship Owners Association, Mrs Margaret Orakuwsi, said indigenous shipping firms have over the years been grappling with lack of cargo support, adding that this has made many of them to close shop, despite other legislations such as the Cabotage Act, 2003 and Nigerian Content Act 2010.

    “The policy is being used to the detriment of the economy,” she said.

    Mrs Orakuwsi, who is also a lawyer, said the adoption of either the CIF or FoB policy by the Federal Government should be based on how the policy is of advantage to the parties involved in the shipping.

    The intention of the Cabotage Act, she added, was to give indigenous shipping firms the support to enable them to compete with their foreign counterparts, who have usurped the cargoes on the international shipping route, the coastal and inland region.

  • Esan APC stakeholders seek transparent primaries

    All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders in Esan Central have said the primaries must be transparent.

    True Democracy Group (TDG) Secretary Philip Omojiade spoke with reporters in Benin at the weekend.

    He said: ”Look we are all stakeholders in this our great party the APC. So if anybody thinks he can come and override us by imposing somebody on us, the person should have a rethink. Esan people should be allowed to choose somebody in the party that can give them good representative at the Red legislative chambers in Abuja. I personally joined APC because of the good work of the immediate past comrade governor of the state, Adams Oshiomhole.

    “Oshiomhole during his time as governor does not do anything without consulting the leaders of the party from the various wards, but today is it a different ball game and we are not too comfortable with such arrangement. Just look at what is happening in Igueben local government, where somebody that decamped to the party just few months ago is anointed to carry the APC flag to the State House of Assembly. Esan people will do everything to make sure that their imposition plan does not see the light of day in Esan land.

    “Whether direct or indirect primaries, if a wrong person are giving the APC ticket, people will only collect their money and vote against them. You will agree with me that the party has done poorly at the national level, and generality of Nigerians are not happy with them so any mistake in Edo State will have devastating effects on us.”

  • Residents seek govt’s help against cultists

    Residents of Ijora, Badia have appealed to the Lagos State government to rid their community of cultists.

    The Nation learnt that the cultists are having a field day in the community.

    A resident, Mr Egbeyemi Idris, recalled that some people were killed in a cult war few weeks ago.

    “Last month, there was a case between the Aiye and Eiye cult groups. One of the Eiye members was shot by a member of the Aiye group, which made the two groups go into war. The battle lasted for two days; some people were killed and many injured. The cult members also destroyed the windscreens of cars that were parked nearby,” he said

    A resident, who simply gave his name as Sola, said: “Cultism in our community is a serious case; we live in fear of the cultists and can’t walk around the community freely without being embarrassed by them. They attack young boys and girls and force them to join them in their various cult groups. We need the help of the government for we can’t fight them ourselves.”

    The councillor, representing Ijora Oloye Ward E, Liadi Saheed, said the council would do everything to reduce cultism in the community.

    “The Local Government Chairman, Alhaja Funmilayo Akande-Muhammed, myself and the Ijora monarch have carried out sensitisation programmes to enlighten the people on the dangers of cultism. We have also set an example by charging cultists caught to to court. I can assure you that soon cultism will be a thing of the past in this community as the government is taking every step necessary to stamp it out,” he said.

  • UNDP seeks violence-free poll

    Ahead of Osun State September 22 governorship election, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has called on stakeholders to ensure a violence-free poll.

    The UNDP Country Director, Samuel Bwalya, made the call in Ibadan at the ongoing stakeholders’ dialogue for traditional rulers, religious leaders, political leaders and civil society on the forthcoming Osun gubernatorial election.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme was organised by the UNDP in conjunction with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    Bwalya said the peaceful conduct of the election was not only important to the residents of the state, but also to all Nigerians and friends of Nigeria globally.

    He said a free, fair and credible election would promote peaceful co-existence, build strong institutions and foster sustainable development in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.

    The UNDP official, who noted that the election would be a strong indicator of what to expect in the 2019 general elections, said the election must be violence-free.

    “We all, therefore, have critical roles to play to ensure that the election is conducted in an atmosphere of peace, stability and in the spirit of sportsmanship by all the contestants, their teeming supporters and the civil populace,’’ Bwalya said.

    He said the programme was organised to sensitise and increase public knowledge on the dangers of violence before, during and after the election.

     

  • Cyclists seek attention for bicycles

    ADEYINKA ADERIBIGBE writes on how the World Bicycle Day (WBD), the maiden edition of which was celebrated on June 3, may change the narratives around biking not only in Nigeria, but across the world.

    IT  was a spectacular sight to behold.The Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi rode on a bicycle.

    Penultimate Tuesday, Amaechi rode in the ministry’s premises to felicitate with the Nigerian Bicycle Federation (NBF) members, who were at the ministry to celebrate the maiden edition of the World Bicycle Day (WBD).

    But he neither rode it to his office nor to the Federal Executive Council’s (FEC) chamber as one of his predecessors, the late Chief Ojo Maduekwe did.

    The National Council on Transportation (NCT) has been trying to make bicycle riding  as part of the transportation policy with success.

    In many cities across Nigeria, bicycle riding is not common as it  used to. This is because the roads are not safe.

    Despite this, however, some Nigerians take biking as a means of transportation. Joshua Ademola is one of such people. Decked in blue shirt, suit and tie to match with his hatch bag hung on his back, Ademola said he loves the bicycle as a shuttle alternative.

    Six of his colleagues also do the same. “Gradually, we are 10 using bicycle in my work place and we have secured a park within the company to park for safe-keeping,” Ademola said.

    It is not Ademola and co alone. Some youths have joined the bicycle train, not for fun or sports. In Lagos, there are being suported by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode who has restated his commitment to promoting non-motorised transportation.

     In the beginning

    Nigerians romance with bicycle predates the nation’s independence. Introduced as a means of transportation by the British District Officers (DO) to access the interlands, it soon became the vehicle for the emerging local middle class – teachers, traders and merchants. Then, it  was a status symbol with the Raleigh brand of bicycle as the toast.

    With the industrial boom shortly after independence, motorised vehicles overtook the bicycle and wider roads were constructed across the country, without consideration for other forms of road users outside the motor car users.

    Though the Maduekwe initiative to promote bicycle riding failed to connect with the emerging middle class and business executives, it gave the Federal Road Safety Corps FRSC) an opportunity to develop an enlightenment programe to promote its use.

    FRSC agreed with Maduekwe that bikes are not only healthy, they are the best ways to get out of the perennial gridlocks.

    United States, United Kingdom, China, Holland and Cuba, are countries where bicycles are central to transportation planning and policies.

    FRSC admitted that roads are not riders’friendly, but insisted that bike riding is one sure way to promote healthy living.

    Coming of WBD

    Arguments were canvassed to draw global attention to bicycle riding.

    The declaration of June 3 yearly as World Bicycle Day, according to Worldurbancampaign.org, is the crystalisation of efforts by the World Cycling Alliance (WCA), a network of the European Cyclists Federations, to achieve this.

    At the Paris climate summit COP 21, last year, WCA presented to the UN, the contributions of cycling to global goals on the environment and its commitment to getting “more people to embrace cycling, more often”.

    WCA and ECF Secretary-General Bernhard Ensink said: “There are undeniable evidence that cycling contributes to cleaner environment and with the WBD is to get greater buy-in of cycling by governments and international institutions worldwide.

    ‘’The observance by the UN of a World Bicycle Day, he reasoned, would offer a strong support towards better awareness of the potentials the use of the bicycle has for the achievement of the Global Sustainable Goals.”

    Though the day was announced on April 12, the WCA had on April 28 embarked on a global twitter campaign that saw over 3000 tweets and two million people across the world talk about bicycle and its advantages to health and the environment.

     Benefits

    Ensink argued that bicycles have been promoting increased health,  environmental benefits and sustainable economic growth.

    “Cycling 1km by bike saves 250g of CO2 compared to 1km in a car, cyclists accounted for 111billion Euros in 2013, and provides 4.89 per 1m euros of turnover, compared to car manufacturing which delivers 1.63 jobs. In Europe cycling is responsible for 650.000 jobs – more than the defence and steel industries,” he says.

    Ensink believes the WBD will increase the number of cyclists.

    He believes cycling can  help actualise SDG5, which would empower women and girls, achieve SDG11, which seeks to make cities and settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

    More cycling could save the world $24 trillion by 2050, and about two giga tonnes of CO2 emission yearly, thereby promoting cleaner environment.

    On its page, un.org, the UN said WBD would draw attention to bicycle as a simpler, affordable, reliable, clean and environmentally fit means of sustainable transportation.

    It said the bicycle can also serve as a tool for development and as a means not just of transportation, but also of access to education, health care and sport.

    The UN envisages that the WBD would encourage member-states to devote attention to bicycle.

    Such inclusion, the world body said, would also encourage member-states to improve road safety and integrate biking into sustainable mobility and transport infrastructure planning.

    This, according to it, would further achieve broader health outcomes, particularly the prevention of injuries and non-communicable diseases.

    Wikipedia insisted that a UN bicycle day is out to drum attention to the benefits of using bicycle for transportation and leisure.

    Leszek Sibilski, who led a campaign for a UN Resolution for the Day, eventually gaining the support of Turkmenistan and 56 other countries.

    Novelty

    Happy with the global turn of events, Amaechi assured of the readiness of his ministry to promote cycling.

    According to him, the ministry would liaise with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and state governments to create easy pathways across the country for riders to move around without impediments.

    Amaechi, who received the cyclists, led by the Cycling Federation of Nigeria (CFN) President,  Giandomenico Massari, said: “Apart from competing in sports, cycling also assists to improve the mental well-being of an individual. Creating a path for cyclists is not the job of the Federal Government but FCT and state government.’’

    He added: “If more bicycles are on our roads, it would help reduce traffic. Cyclists need safer routes to ride. If safe paths that would ensure safety are in place, more elites will also be encouraged to ride bicycles.”

    The minister criticised those who see biking as a sign of poverty.

    “Riding bicycle,” Amaechi said, “is not a sign of poverty, but people are afraid of losing their lives because motorists are impatient and motorcycle and bicycle riders are exposed to danger without a dedicated lane.’’

    He said though the Federal Goverment may not be able to create dedicated lanes, he assured that it would mobilise the states through their commisioners of transportation to do this.

    “States can create bicycle paths. If this is done in a state like Lagos, most people will be going to work on bicycles because the traffic alone from Third Mainland Bridge to the mainland is enough to stress one out,” Amaechi said.

    Massari hinted that the WBD would help to resuscitate cycling culture and improve healthy living.

    According to him, their visit was part of their advocacy to draw the government’s attention to creating safer routes to encourage bicycle riding.

    CFN, he added, would collaborate with the FRSC and other stakeholders to organise a cycling rally in Abuja.

    The ministry’s Director, Road Transport and Mass Transit Mrs. Anthonia Ekpa assured the cyclists of their support.

    “I am happy that Nigerian cyclists successfully joined the rest of the world to celebrate the World Bicycle Day. The event was remarkable because riders have their way on the road without traffic or hitches.”

    ‘’A dedicated lane, either at the road shoulders or median as is the global practice, would further help to drive home the needed support for safety being advocated by riders.’’

    Patrick Adenusi believes with the UN backing, biking may soon become a preferred mode of transportation for its sundry benefits. He foresees bicycle manufacturing companies return like the pre-60s era. “With 198 million people, 60 percent of which are youths, Nigeria, he said, has huge market for bicycle manufacturing. It could also create massive jobs.