Bob ROCO Romeo

… as transport fares are reduced by 10% starting August 1 In a confirmation earlier this week by National Chairman of the GPRTU, Mr. Kwame Kumah, the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has reduced transport fares by 10% effective this weekend, August 1, 2020. In collaboration with other stakeholders to announce and give an update on a reduction in transport fares this weekend, Mr Kumah said: “Drivers who outrageously charge their own fares are warned”. He further specified that police will arrest drivers who fail to comply with safety protocols. Commercial transport owners, for about five months, have not been filling their vehicles to full capacity and that has affected their sales - causing family and domestic issues, and fuel prices have also seen an increase. According to some drivers and conductors B&FT reached out to at some few lorry stations, in their grievances they’re of the view that with the reduction of passenger-intake for every vehicle, and fuel was i...

NSIA Insurance Company Limited has donated five multi-functional motor bikes to the Ministry of Health to help the ministry in its surveillance work. The motorcycles which have all been comprehensively insured with NSIA is expected to help the ministry to effectively execute its mandate at a time the country is battling the novel Coronavirus pandemic. At a brief presentation ceremony in Accra on Monday, officials of NSIA Insurance explained that the donated resources are intended to facilitate and enhance the Ministry's contact tracing and surveillance efforts in line with the government’s fight against COVID-19. Beaming with confidence and assurance in the government's COVID-19 response strategies, the General Manager-Finance of NSIA Insurance, Aaron Packeys encouraged other entities and individuals to also do their part to support the state in its fight against the global pandemic. "Ghana will win the fight against the novel corona virus pandemic and we encourage...

Mr. Nouhad Kalmoni launching the Citroën vehicles Silver Star Auto Limited has officially unveiled the new range of Citroën vehicles to the Ghanaian market as an exclusive dealer in the country. The event was held at the Citroën Showroom in Accra on the 21 st of July 2020. The new Citroën vehicles are built with enhanced safety features along with a unique blend of style and comfort. This range harnesses creative flair and technology to enhance well-being. The new range of Citroën models has also received an extensive design overhaul, both on the interior and exterior with cutting edge technology features. They are now more luxurious and better equipped with exclusive comfort inthe SUV’s and LCV’s range. These technologies improve driver experience and comfort while staying committed to cost-efficiency and to the environment. Speaking at the launch, Mr. Nouhad Kalmoni, the Executive Director of Silver Star Auto Limited, added, “Our range of vehicles feature the latest in-car t...

Hyundai Motors and Investment Ghana Limited, authorised dealer of the Hyundai brand range of vehicles, has launched the all-new Hyundai Palisade 2020 - a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) - onto the Ghanaian market. The flagship Palisade is the biggest Hyundai SUV and a newcomer in the Hyundai SUV/CUV line up, and replaces the Grand Santa-Fe which also replaced the Hyundai Veracruz. It comes with various eye-catching elements including exquisite interior and exterior designs, high-tech convenience, safety features, ensuring a luxurious and relaxed experience for the driver and passengers. A key feature that car buyers look out for is performance, and the new Palisade comes with some amazing performance functions which will gladden car lovers. The Palisade comes with innovative H-Trac and Multi Terrain control systems which afford drivers the ability to drive easily on any terrain. With this technology, a driver is allowed to choose between six drive modes, each providing a different w...

Limited production, a Le Mans-winning, 7.0-litre V8 engine and an 800-kilometre test of Goodyear’s latest performance tyres. These were the main factors that introduced the first Shelby Super Snake to the world. As a result, that 1967 Shelby Super Snake became the genesis for the first Ford Mustang-based muscle cars that Shelby American has now built into a pantheon of loud, extreme and exclusive Mustangs. It’s on World Snake Day, 16 July, that Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) chooses to pay homage to Carroll Shelby’s first-ever Super Snake, as well as the models that have since followed suit. Shelby’s determination to push the performance envelope and make a name for himself has long provided Mustang owners with a higher footing when it comes to outright performance and looks. The Shelby Super Snake is one of the most well-known nameplates of them all, created more than fifty years ago and going from strength to strength. The year 1967 was a dominant period in Ford’s ...

How the badge’s physical identity was adapted for the digital world We are more connected than ever before. People are growing up with the access to knowledge and the potential for interaction that the internet offers. Our lives are as much digital as they are physical. Hence strong brands need to have effective touchpoints in both realms. For the past 20 years, Nissan’s outgoing logo has been a beacon on its vehicles and so much more. It has served as an identity, a business card, a handshake and the first greeting between customers and the driving excitement that Nissan vehicles provide. For decades more, Nissan’s logo has stayed true to a belief held by its founder Yoshisuke Aikawa, “Shisei tenjitsu o tsuranuku,” which he interpreted to mean, “If you have a strong belief, it penetrates even the sun.” While keeping this essence alive, Nissan’s new “calling card” reflects the significant changes in society over the last two decades. It is a reimagination of the iconic Nissan bra...

  The global automobile giant, Volkswagen, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the government of Ghana in 2018 to begin the process of establishing an assembling plant in the country to serve the West African sub-regional market. In March this year officials of the company took some Ghanaian government officials round their assembling plant in Accra. Earlier this year also, a planned official launch of the plant was called off due to the novel coronavirus but it hasn’t stopped the German automaker Volkswagen’s (VW) work from going on. It has started putting its car assembling plant in the country to good use with pictures emerging of some of the cars already assembled. VW has already begun production of five Volkswagen models—Tiguan, Passat, Polo sedan, Teramont and Amarok pickup, at its Accra plant place. Nissan and Toyota are expected to open their own plants this year. This would be first phase of the company’s operations in the West African nation, as it pl...

Often, when buying new tyres for a vehicle some of us end up quickly buying the cheapest one available due to ‘pocket state’. Some companies or dealers also put the tyres on special value, and we might be the first ones to snatch it - thinking we are getting the best deal. But it is important to note that every tyre has an expiry date, after which it is supposed to be replaced lest it risks a blow-out! The average life-span of a tyre from the date of manufacture is averagely four to five years from time of manufacturing, though it also depends on the make and brand as well. Just imagine cruising in town or travelling for a beautiful occasion or even funeral on quite a long journey - and then suddenly a tyre of your vehicle explodes. You must maintain control and safely manoeuvre to the side of the road. The tyres might be new, purchased a few months ago from a local vulcaniser or tyre shop. I know you’ll wonder how this could happen after the purchasing tyres and thinking of ...

With some drivers and transport owners unreasonably charging an upward fare, the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) is yet to release the new transport fares this weekend, after the Ministry of Transport approved a 15 percent hike in fares across the board in the country. Justifying the increment, the Union noted various components that go into the running of commercial transport services which have gone up during this COVID-19 pandemic; and in addition, considering the reduction of passengers per transport vehicle. Also, despite grievances and fears that a transport price increase could affect the price of goods and services, t he GPRTU expected a 50 percent hike due to increased fuel prices and cost of spare-parts and other material used in running the business. The Deputy Transport Minister, Daniel Titus Glover, said the various drivers’ unions presented a petition to the ministry on Monday and were promised that the issue will be looked into . It was after a meet...

Government attributed and commended the strong performance of Ghana Reinsurance Company to the Board, Management and Staff of the company at its 17 th Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Accra last week. Ghana Re announced a group composite (life and general business) gross premium income for 2019 of GH¢253.37m compared to the GH¢205.66m recorded in 2018, representing a growth rate of 23.2%. However, a breakdown of the group shows that general business premium income recorded in 2019 was GH¢230.85m, while life premium income stood at GH¢22.52m. George Otoo, Chairman of the Board, noted that fire insurance as a line of business contributed 62.42% of the general business premium income, while accident and motor insurance contributed 20.7% and 7.8% respectively to the portfolio.  “We would not have been able to record this financial achievement in premium income without the support of our loyal cedants; for that, I thank all our cedants for contributing to our continued success,” t...

Clients of RegencyNem have given a thumbs-up to management and staff for introducing a USSD application that allows customers to buy third-party Motor Insurance from the comfort of their mobile phones. Speaking to B&FT at the RegencyNem office at the 37 Drivers Vehicle Licencing Authority (DVLA) last week, the clients said it will ease their moving to RegencyNem offices for renewal when their insurance policies expire. It will be recalled that RegencyNem, a fortnight ago, launched a USSD application that allows customers to buy Motor Insurance. Known as i-tranzakt, the product allows all new and existing customers, registered agents and brokers to buy or renew third-party motor policies without going to any of RegencyNem’s offices or branches. At the launch, Lawrence Busola Omoya (Acting Managing Director of RegencyNem Insurance) pointed out that through this application insurance agents, brokers and retail clients can log-on to get insurance quotes, buy and renew their polic...