Israeli company Optibus will partner with Ugandan company SCINTL to manage the first public bus network in its capital, Kampala.

The project is organized by Tonkeda Metro Company and sponsored by the World Bank.

It is expected to create more than 12,000 jobs locally by 2025.

The fleet is expected to grow to 3,000 vehicles over the next few years, and to be 100% electric within a decade. TMC will use Optibus’ software to plan routes, and timetables and optimize resource allocation. 

Currently, Kampala’s over 1.5 million residents travel on mini-buses and motorbike taxis that do not operate on set schedules and frequently change their pick-up and drop-off points.

Fares, too, fluctuate, and passengers are forced to confront unpredictable wait times in extreme heat or heavy rain.

Fortunately, the public bus network will not only lighten these burdens, but will also improve air quality and reduce traffic accidents in Kampala.

Kevin Short, head of technology at TMC, added: “This is a great opportunity for Uganda and Africa at large, and a gamechanger in the transportation industry.”

The Ghana Biosafety Management Authority has visited its Nigerian counterpart to understudy the success story in the regulation of Biosafety and the Nigerian Biosafety system.

The courtesy visit was also part of efforts to have a stronger relationship in the area of Biosafety regulations between the two countries.

The Ghanaian Chairman, Parliamentary Committee on Environment, Science and Technology, Dr. Emmanuel Marto stated this when the Ghanaian health regulatory team paid the Director General of the National Biosafety Management Agency, Dr Rufus Ebegba a courtesy visit in his office in Abuja, the  Nation’s capital.

Study tour

Dr. Marto said the visit was to have a study tour in the Nigeria Biosafety Agency, to see how the policy, regulations and commercialisation of biotechnology techniques practices involved in Nigeria.

He said; ”this comes as the country is also in the process of embarking on using biotechnology to deal with issues of environmental sustainability and food security.”

“Since Nigeria is close by and Nigeria now reputed to be  doing well, in that field we thought  that we should come to Nigeria as brother and as a neighbor so we can come and learn from  you.”

 “My impression has been very good we were at the National Assembly and meet with the parliamentarians, we have a fruitful discussion, we like the corporation that the agencies in Nigeria has had so far, and the collaboration that has brought Nigeria this far, I think this worth something to be emulating by Ghana,” DR. Marto added.

Collaboration

The Director General of the National Biosafety Management Agency in Nigeria NBMA, Dr Rufus Ebegba said the Agency would continue to collaborate with regional bodies to build a stronger Biosafety system in the country.

Dr Ebegba said the Nigeria government would also continue to encourage the use of modern biotechnology to improve the nation’s economy.

He said; “The essence of the National Biosafety agency regulatory system was to ensure the application of modern biotechnology and the use and handling of Genetically Modifies Organisms, GMO’s are safe for  the environment and  human health.”

Dr Ebegba further stated that the Agency would work together in negotiations to have a stronger relationship in the areas of Biosafety, stressing that the government has set up the Nigeria Biosafety to ensure human and environmental safety.

The Nigeria government has developed policies, laws that encourages the used of modern biotechnology applications as part of effort to improved the economy, and also drive the agricultural sector as well.

“The modern economy would be driven by the safe application of biotechnology, what i mean is that we are talking about green economy these are not  things that can be achieved  through using conventional  method of technologies, with the modern biotechnology it is very elastic it has the potentials of opening up new vista, I think countries like Nigeria’s  known what it takes  and what to benefit from modern biotechnology,”Dr Ebegba added.

The National Biosafety Management Agency, NBMA was established by the National Biosafety Management Agency Act 2015, to provide regulatory framework to adequately safe guard human health and the environment from potential adverse effects of modern biotechnology and genetically modified organisms.

Its mandate is to promote biotechnology development in all sectors of the Nigeria economy.

Malaysian independent power producer, Edra Energy Sdn Bhd, and GE have announced the start of commercial operation for Edra’s power plant in Alor Gajah, Malacca, Malaysia.

The combined cycle power plant is Malaysia’s largest according to GE and feeds 2.2GW to the national grid, roughly 10% of the country’s current electricity needs.

The plant is powered by GE’s core power plant equipment and will be maintained with a service agreement to manage the project’s lifecycle.

The new plant consists of three generating blocks capable of generating over 745MW per block, each including a GE 9HA.02 gas turbine, a STF-D650 steam turbine, a W88 generator and a Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG).