The federal government has been advised to allow auto assembly plants to evolve naturally as they did in the 1960s.
The recommendation was made by Dr. O. O. Odiboh, an automotive communication consultant, and senior lecturer of Mass Communication, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, at a training workshop organised by the Nigerian Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) in Lagos, recently.
“Revolution is not by force. It starts as evolution,” said Odiboh in his presentation ‘Zero Patronage, Zero Tariff and The Redefinition of Patriotism: a Look at Nigeria’s Automobile Industry’.
Odiboh, who said the solution to what he described as “the Auto Policy Conundrum” was to drop it, charged the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) “to restrict itself to design, development of infrastructures and campaigns on patriotic patronage of Made in Nigeria vehicles.”
Customs, he said should increase tariff on used imported vehicles from 30% to 80%; reduce tariff on brand new imported vehicles from 70% to 30%; and introduce zero per cent tariff on locally CKD-assembled vehicles. Nigeria’s automobile assemblers need our patriotic patronage.”
In another presentation on Transport Insurance, an official of Cornerstone Insurance Plc., said numerous risks are associated with the movement of goods and people from place to place, irrespective of distance whether long or short. “These risks may crystalise leading to losses which could be financial, bodily injury or death, and property damage.
The possibility of suffering these losses can the mitigated by paying a consideration (Premium) to an Insurance company who undertakes a guarantee of compensation/replacement for specified loss as the case may be.”
On how to mitigate the risk using insurance, they said it was important to “Buy Motor Insurance; Comprehensive Insurance Policy; Scope of Cover: Own damage, Third party property damage up to N1million, Bodily Injury and death unlimited, Fire, Theft.”
They also recommended “Third Party Fire and Theft; Third Party Only; Goods in Transit Insurance; Road Travel Insurance (Passengers); Death up to an agreed limit; Permanent Disability up to an agreed limit; Temporary Disability up to an agreed limit; Medical Expenses up to an agreed limit; Personal Accident Insurance (Drivers); Death up to an agreed limit; Permanent Disability up to an agreed limit; Temporary Disability up to an agreed limit; and Medical Expenses up to an agreed limit.”
