Lagos State Gov., Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu was at the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) head office at Oshodi earlier today at around 10am. The governor took time to get familiar with all members of the team thereby he engages them in personal chats before taking to his seat. He also gave an opportunity to members of LASTMA to bare their mind base on their personal challenges and what the government can do to help them and make their work more apt, professional and meet the world standard in traffic regulations.
Having listened to their various complaints and advice, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu took to the podium by first appreciating their job to the state and in making Lagos a better place for motorists. He announced an increase in LASTMA officers' allowance, according to Mr. Sanwo-Olu, the officers will earn 100% of their current allowance as from the end of July. This is to boost the morale of officers and make them work well for the people of Lagos State.
Part of what he said in his speech is that he is meeting with Security operatives on Keke Napep and Okada riders next week and since we have existing laws .. Am official pronouncement will be made by the end of the month on Okada and Keke Marwa all over the State, also he has a warning to those selling cars on the road, according to him, People selling vehicles on the expressway at Olodi Apapa, Airport road and others that are bringing their businesses into the main road, Governor Sanwo-Olu says the offenders should take their businesses off the road so as not to see the wrath of the state.
Ending his speech, he says, no one is above the law! If you are a traffic offender, don't expect me or anyone at Alausa to come to your rescue, once you are caught, you are on your own! He says, he will talk to all his staff not to intervene for anyone that LASTMA arrests ... they should pay the fine on behalf of the traffic offender If they want to help.
As he was about ending his speech, the rain started, as it is normal for all politicians to leave, instead, he asked for a raincoat, he and other LASTMA officers inspected the LASTMA offices with the officials of the unit.
Nigeria Customs Increase Import Duty Due To Increase In FOREX
The exchange rate for Customs duty has increased from N306 per dollar to N326/$, AutoReportNG learned.
The rate was reportedly introduced at the Lagos Port on Monday and the Nigeria Customs Service was said to have commenced immediate implementation.
Customs sources confirmed that the valuation department of Customs at all Commands had equally adjusted the exchange rate on their systems.
The Public Relations Officer of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents at Tin Can Island Port, Mr Emmanuel Onyeme, was quoted as saying that all transactions and cargoes that were cleared at the port on Monday were already paying N326 per dollar.
Onyeme lamented that the new exchange rate would definitely add to the cost of clearing cargoes from Nigerian ports and the prices of goods in the market.
He argued that the policy should not have commenced with immediate effect because several agents had already accepted jobs from their importers using calculations based on the old rate of N306 per dollar.
He also lamented that the Customs did not carry the clearing agents and other stakeholders along in the implementation of its policies.
Speaking, Onyeme said “The new rate took effect at the ports today. It is already affecting our interaction with Customs because if the former exchange rate is 306 and they are placing an increment of N20, with this, some extra money would have been added to it.
“So, the new rate will affect the cost of clearing, especially for those who have collected jobs at the rate of N306, now that they are paying N326, they would have to go back to the importer to collect extra money.
“And if the importer is selling his car for N1m, with this additional cost, he is going to add whatever is the extra cost to it.”
He claimed that the Customs had already changed the rate on the system, adding, “Every job that was captured today had to pay the new rate.”
Governor Ayade Orders Ex-Commissioners, Others To Surrender Official Vehicles
The Governor of Cross River State, Prof. Ben Ayade has ordered his former aides, including commissioners to surrender all the official vehicles still in their possession.
A statement signed by the newly reappointed Chief of Staff to the governor, Martins Orim, made available to our correspondent, asked the aides to return the vehicles within 78 hours to avoid embarrassment.
According to the statement, “All former commissioners, special advisers, special assistants and other former appointees of the Cross River State Government, including chairmen and members of commissions, boards, agencies, governing councils and Local Governments Security Council chairmen, who were issued official vehicles are hereby directed to return same to the office of the Chief of Staff to the Governor within 78 hours.”
The statement also said, “the affected persons are advised to promptly comply with the directive to avoid embarrassment by law enforcement agents.”
Governor Ayade dissolved his cabinet last week during which he promised to trim down the new cabinet from the 28 commissioners he had in his first term.
The governor also promised to appoint commissioners for defence and foreign affairs.
China Unveils Floating MAGLEV Bullet Train With Speeds Of 600km Per Hour
China has unveiled a prototype for a high-speed Magnetic-Levitation bullet train capable of hitting speeds of 600km per hour. The train has been developed by the state-owned China Railway Rolling stock Corporation (CRRC) and is scheduled to go into commercial production in 2021.
MAGLEV – short for magnetic levitation – is a system of train transportation, which employs magnetic forces to help the train achieve high speeds. It uses two sets of magnets, one to repel and push the train up off the track, and another set to propel the ‘floating train’ forward.
Taking advantage of the lack of friction, the system allows the train to achieve speeds of up to 600km per hour whilst maintaining smooth acceleration. Trains that currently run on the Beijing-Shanghai line have a maximum operating speed of 350 km/h.
‘Take Beijing to Shanghai as an example — counting preparation time for the journey, it takes about 4.5 hours by plane, about 5.5 hours by high-speed rail, and [would only take] about 3.5 hours with [the new] high-speed maglev,‘ Ding Sansan, CRRC‘s deputy chief engineer, said in comments reported by CNN.
Easter: DPR cautions against panic buying of petroleum products
The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) Field Office in Enugu says petroleum marketers who sell products above government-approved prices risk having their stations sealed.
The DPR also warned members of the public against panic buying during the Easter celebration.
Mr Anthony Douji, the Head, Retail Outlet and Marketing in the field office, gave the advice on Thursday in Enugu in an interview with journalists.
Douji said that the DPR would ensure that petroleum marketers complied with the directive of the NNPC to make products available for Easter celebration.
The Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mr Maikanti Baru, has assured the public of adequate supply of petroleum products during the Easter.
Baru gave the assurance during the just concluded Enugu International Trade Fair, adding that no fewer than 55 depots across the country were fully stocked with products.
He said that the NNPC had made necessary arrangements to berth two vessels of 50 million litres of petrol daily to make the Easter holidays pleasurable.
Baru cautioned depot owners or terminal operators against selling petrol above the official ex-depot price, adding that the price of petrol in the country remained N145 per litre.
Douji said that the office had started monitoring compliance, adding that petrol stations must not sell above the regulated price.
He said that the intention was to ensure product availability during the festivity. “We observed that while some petrol stations are selling at the regulated price, others sold above it.
However, we prevailed on them to revert and they did. “Our intention is to ensure that the products are available and not to create tension and artificial scarcity by sealing petrol stations that are defaulting.
“By the time you start sealing petrol stations, some of the marketers will start diverting products to areas where they will not be monitored.
“So, the best way is to encourage them to revert to government-approved prices,” he said. Douji, however, warned that the DPR would not hesitate to seal stations that failed to revert to the regulated price after initial contact.
“We have been receiving calls from members of the public about petrol stations selling above the regulated price and we shall seal such stations should they fail to revert,” he said.
Doujied called on residents to further provide them with the necessary information that would lead to clamping down of defaulters. He said that the field office could be reached through 09055992144, 08113936388 and 08160833869 for complaints.
China Tests A Newly-Developed Smart Electric Train Running On Virtual Tracks
In a world of advanced technology and massive engineering, China seems to be at the forefront of making it's nation a point of reference among other nations.
China is test running a train which runs on a virtual train even at low temperature. according to reports, at -20 degrees Celsius! China tests a newly-developed smart electric train running on virtual tracks to see if it can run smoothly in frigid weather.
So what can the new technology do?
Trackless trams are neither a tram nor a bus, though they have rubber wheels and run on streets. The high-speed rail innovations have transformed a bus into something with all the best features of light rail and none of its worst features.
It replaces the noise and emissions of buses with electric traction from batteries recharged at stations in 30 seconds or at the end of the line in 10 minutes. That could just be an electric bus, but the ART is much more than that. It has all the speed (70kph), capacity and ride quality of light rail with its autonomous optical guidance system, train-like bogies with double axles and special hydraulics and tyres.
It can slide into the station with millimetre accuracy and enable smooth disability access. It passed the ride quality test when I saw kids running up and down while it was going at 70kph – you never see this on a bus due to the sway.
The autonomous features mean it is programmed, optically guided with GPS and LIDAR technologies, into moving very precisely along an invisible track. If an accident happens in the right of way a “driver” can override the steering and go around. It can also be driven to a normal bus depot for overnight storage and deep battery recharge.
The standard ART system is three carriages that can carry 300 people, but it can take five carriages and 500 people if needed. In three years of trials, no impact on road surfaces has been found.
Does The Police Have The Right To Stop And Search My Car?
Many at times our rights are being violated either due to the ignorance of the law or we are too afraid of the law enforcers. Nigerians have cried bitterly over the harassment of soldiers, MOLPOL, SARS and others who have forcefully search their cars, laptops, and phones without a search warrant.
AutoReportNG got some images from Rivers of how police are checking every car, while we agree that Rivers is tense right now due to the political war going on in the state and the police are trying to keep everyone safe. We did some digging as to what the law says and what the police are meant to do in this case.
While police generally need a warrant to search you or your property — during a traffic stop, police only need probable cause to legally search your vehicle. Probable cause means police must have some facts or evidence to believe you’re involved in criminal activity.
In other words, an officer’s hunch without evidence of illegal activity is not enough to legally search your car. Before searching, he must observe something real. Common examples of probable cause include the sight or smell of contraband in plain view or plain smell or an admission of guilt for a specific crime. The presentation of any of these facts would allow an officer to perform a search and make an arrest.
Be aware that minor traffic violations (e.g. speeding, broken tail-light, or expired registration) are not considered probable cause.
The Police Act in Section 29, states that a police officer ‘…may detain and search any person whom he reasonably suspects of having in his possession or conveying in any manner anything which he has reason to believe to have been stolen or otherwise unlawfully obtained.’
Therefore, the police have the power to search, however, it is not absolute. There has to be a reasonable suspicion that the person has stolen or unlawfully obtained property in his/her possession. That is the position of the law. The test to decide what is reasonable, is something referred to as the ‘objective test’ i.e. whether a reasonable man would have conducted the search of a person in the circumstances.
Therefore, in determining whether a search carried out in you is an unreasonable one, you would have to look at your circumstances. For instance, did you sufficiently identify if asked to by the police? Did you answer any of their questions satisfactorily? If you did, then it might be argued that there were no reasonable grounds for the search. If the police officer did not have any reasonable grounds for suspicion, then you might be able to sue for unlawful search and harassment. An unlawful search is also a violation of your right to privacy guaranteed under the Nigerian Constitution.
Can The Police Search My Phone, Laptop Or Electronic Device?
The police have a right to search phones and laptops, however, this search can only be performed if a search warrant has been issued. If the police officer does not have a warrant to search your phone or laptop or other electronic devices then any search carried out is an illegal one.
What To Do If You Are Stopped?
We always urge caution in any relation with security officials for your own safety. If you are stopped, you should follow the below steps:
- Always greet policemen and policewomen as “Officer”. For example, you may start off with “Good afternoon, Officer. How’s it going today?” Under no circumstances should you ever talk back, raise your voice, or use a road word with a police officer. Being hostile with police is stupid and dangerous. You can’t win that game.
- When you are stopped, make note of the officers’ names
- Answer all their questions satisfactorily and do not antagonise them
- If upon answering their questions they request a search, tell them that you do not believe that they have reasonable grounds to request a search as you believe you have answered their questions satisfactorily
- If the officer insists, then comply, however, inform them that you will be raising a formal complaint of an unlawful search of you and your property
- If an officer proceeds with search, comply fully.
- After the search is completed, you should either raise a formal complaint by following the process laid out here, or you may look to engage the services of a lawyer to make a formal complaint and potentially instigate a suit and claim compensation for unlawful search and harassment.
We should also note that if you are a female person and you were physically searched, then any search performed on you must only be conducted by a female officer, this is the position of the law, and a physical search on you by a male officer would be unlawful.
See The New 2020 Toyota Supra In All Eight Color Options
Toyota has unveiled the eight different color options which North American buyers of the all-new 2020 GR Supra will have to choose from. While no configurator has been released, we can at least play around with the available paints.
We have only seen the new Toyota Supra in a select few exterior colors—until now. Toyota's website now shows all eight of the new sports car's exterior hues, which include the following: Absolute Zero White, Nocturnal Black, Renaissance Red 2.0, Phantom Matte Gray, Tungsten Silver, Turbulence Gray, Nitro Yellow, and Downshift Blue. So we put together a gallery of the Supra outfitted in each of these paint options so that you can pick your favorite. There isn't a configurator live yet, but Toyota has released pricing and full info on the Supra's trim levels and options.
What about the standard models?
Base GR Supras will also be offered with these three paint options as well as Phantom Matte Grey, Tungsten Silver, Turbulence Gray, Nitro Yellow, and Downshift Blue.
Toyota will start deliveries of the new Supra with the Launch Edition models, arriving in dealerships this spring. Standard Supra models, available in the eight different colors and shades, won’t land on showroom floors until the fall.
Niger Delta Human Rights Activist Ntuk Testifies After Surviving Ghastly Auto Crash - Photos
You never can value life until when you have been a victim of a life-threatening accident.
A woman has shared pictures of her transformation after she sustained injuries in a ghastly accident she was involved in which splits open her head.
Sharing photos of her amazing transformation, the woman identified as Peace Ntuk has reasons to be alive.
With most recent photos still showing the scar on her face, the pretty lady revealed that she thanks God for life and does not bother about the scar as she clocks a new age. Testifying to the goodness of God in her life, she shared graphic photos of how she had a ghastly motor accident on July 5, 2018.
According to Peace Ntuk, who is a Nigerian political activist, she had an accident on the 5th of July 2018. The accident rendered her car completely useless but she was lucky to escape alive...
She wrote,
Testimony! Testimony!! Testimony!!!
This happened to me on the 5th of July 2018.
I’m among the living today is by the grace of God.
Happy birthday to me.
These are images of her car when she was involved in the accident and aftermath of the accident.
Life at times comes in its twist and can be confusing to make some quick decisions. Assuming you find yourself in a situation that you have to sacrifice your seat (just 1 seat) for these set of people...
1. A Nursing Mother with a child
2. An aged woman
3. A man with a wound
4. A homeless man on the street
Who among these folks will you volunteer your seat to and why?
AutoReportNG will love to hear and read some comments
Fiat Concept Centoventi Previews The Future Electric Panda In Geneva
As its name in Italian suggests, the FIAT concept centoventi celebrates the quirky, beloved brand’s 120th anniversary at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. In their typical fashion, the concept car aims to break away from traditional looks, design, and engineering to showcase a bold, democratic, affordable vision of electric mobility in the near future. As a highlight of this, the vehicle can be re-configured on a daily basis by its owner.
With compact, almost monolithic proportions, the FIAT concept centoventi starts as a blank canvas that embodies the brand’s ‘less is more’ philosophy – and a hint of styling from the ‘Panda’ model. Its simple, uncluttered design is ready to be tailored by its customers. To start with, there is a choice of four roofs, four bumpers, four-wheel covers, and four external wrappings. A straight waistrail highlights its strong two-box look whilst wide door bumpers, which are made from a new expanded foam material, absorbs scratches and knocks.
Customer freedom doesn’t just stop at the exterior though; colors, interior configuration, infotainment system, and even battery range can be customized on any day they like. 114 accessories – sound system, dashboard and door storage, and seat cushions – can be purchased online and fitted by customers at their own homes. The spacious four-seater interior encompasses their modular ‘plug and plays’ principle. Small holes on the dashboard and door panels enable additional components of any shape and function to be fitted. furthermore, the front passenger's seat can be replaced by a child seat or even a storage box when needed.
The FIAT concept centoventi offers you more in terms of their renowned Italian design, spaciousness, and care for the environment. The vehicle is equipped as standard with a factory-mounted battery with a range of 62 miles. This can be enhanced with up to three additional batteries in order to increase the mile range to a total of 310.
