PAN Nigeria Canvasses Intervention Funding For The

Automobile Industry by AnonPoet : 8:14am

PAN Nigeria Management last week held a virtual meeting

with the Honorable Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment,

Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, to discuss various issues

concerning Nigeria’s Automotive Industry. Topmost on the

agenda was the topical issue regarding the status of the

National Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP)

Bill, intervention funding for the automotive industry, and

stimulating market demand for locally assembled vehicles.

The company was represented at the online meeting by the

Managing Director, Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed, Executive

Director, Sales & Marketing, Mr. Shehu Sani, and General

Manager, Strategy, Mr. Bawo Omagbitse.

The Minister commended PAN Nigeria for initiating the

meeting and its tenacity in following up on the National

Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP) Bill,

assuring the management of the auto manufacturer that the

Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) is doing all it can to

get the NAIDP Bill passed.

Otunba Adebayo further iterated that his vision for the

industry is that automobile manufacturers will swiftly move

to completely knocked down vehicles (CKD) production

level by creating disincentives for semi-knocked down

(SKD) production. The Minister added that there will be

greater compliance among federal ministries, departments,

and agencies (MDAs) to patronize made-in-Nigeria vehicles.

The Managing Director, Mr. Mohammed, agreed that this

initiative will serve as catalyst for the development of the

automotive industry which is currently under-performing.

On the need for Nigerians to have greater access to vehicle

acquisition funding,, the Minister said, the National

Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) is

putting in place a consumer finance scheme that will allow

the public to easily access funds to purchase new locally

assembled vehicles and eventually expand the local pre-

owned market.

As a way of support, the Minister promised to look into the

need for an intervention fund for the automobile industry.

The United Nigeria Airline touched down at the Airport Wednesday afternoon, amidst jubilation by passengers and stakeholders.

DAILY POST gathered that this brings to 7, the number of airlines operating from the Airport.

Speaking to journalists shortly after the demonstration flight landed, the Manager, Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Mrs. Cecilia Oguama said the development would boost activities within and outside the Airport.

She said, “we are glad for the increase of flight operations, increase of passengers too. It will affect our revenue positively because with this flight now, we have almost 7 domestic airlines.

“So, passengers will have more choice, they are starting with Lagos and Abuja and I know very soon, they will expand to other routes.

“My expectation is that they will bring excellency on board, they will bring timeliness on board and they will improve generally on the system.”

Also speaking, Mr. Victor Egbo, HOD Commercial, Akanu Ibiam International Airport, re-echoed the joy shared by the Airport Manager.

Egbo said, “This is a whole gamut of revenue source for us; overtime we had just about two airlines operating from Enugu. Just now today, having an additional airline, we have at least an additional 10 percent of our annual revenue, aeronautic revenue source.

“It is a very big thing for us. And also for Enugu and the people of the South-East, this comes with a general improvement on the economy.

“This airport will also be hosting this airline as its home base, we have not had anything like that in the recent past.”

A passenger, Mr. Jude Emenike said he was delighted that more airlines were now operating from Enugu.

“This is no longer a time we had no choice to make. I am happy that another airline has arrived at this Airport, especially as its base. It will in no small means boost not just the economy of the airport but Enugu State and beyond.

“It’s a good thing and we the passengers are happier for it,” he said with joy.

Another passenger, Miss Jane Obi told our correspondent that her expectation is that the airline should make a difference in the area of timeliness.

“Since Enugu is its operational base, I expect that timeliness should be their watchword. I am happy that we now have a variety of choices to make,” she noted.

Sierra Leone Football Association president Ishay Johansen has joked that the Leone Stars will gift the Super Eagles just one goal, before going ahead to win the second leg of their Group L 2021 AFCON qualifier in Freetown on Tuesday.

The Leone Stars made a shock comeback by cancelling a 4-0 deficit to draw 4-4 against the Eagles in the reverse tie in Benin on Friday.

They will now hope to record their first win against the Eagles since 2001.

And ahead of Tuesday’s game, Johansen said the Eagles will be gifted one goal just for making the trip to Freetown.

“I have told the president of the Nigeria Football Federation my brother and colleague, Pinnick, we would squeeze in one goal for them,” she told Legit TV after the game in Benin.

“We will let them have one and then we would go with the rest (goals) we would be flying with the rest.

“We would probably, you know just for the trip for their effort to make the trip, we would give them one.”https://www.completesports.com/sierra-leone-fa-president-we-would-pity-super-eagles-by-allowing-them-score-one-goal-in-freetown/amp/?__twitter_impression=true