MAURICE OKAFOR writes that the success story of Peace Group established by Evangelist Maduka Onyishi is comparable to the Biblical mustard seed which eventually grew into a giant Iroko tree, providing shelter to other trees, animals and birds of the air, as Peace Mass Transit Ltd, an axillary of Peace Group has been providing gainful employment to thousands of Nigerians directly and in directly in the two decades.
The Group is still Counting as Dr Onyishi plans to transfer ownership of most of the vehicles to the hard working drivers on what he termed, ‘Driver To Owner’ scheme, his drivers can equally become millionaires as he is embarks into some other ventures.
At the on going one month re training and re certification exercise of drivers of Peace Mass transit by officials from Federal Road Safety Corps[FRSC] and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency[NDLEA],Evangelist Maduka disclosed that he took off with two only vehicles in 1994,but today Peace Mass Transit[PMT] he has over five thousand vehicles in it’s fleet across the nation and the initiatives of expanding to some other African countries are very bright. But is very passionate for his drivers to grow along with him so that some of them will also become millionaires through dint of hard work.
He stated,’Drivers who have stayed 15 years and above will be dashed a fairly used vehicle to start their own transport system. But those who still want to stay back can still stay because not everybody is gifted’.
But we have equally introduced a new scheme, ‘Driver To Owners’ which took off in June 30, 2019. My dream is that all my drivers will be bus owners. God has used me to raise men and I want to raise more men. When you take over the level I am operating now, I will be pushed to move up. There is no competition in the transport business. We are giving service to this country. We are number one’.
He advised them to use learn from the re training and certification exercise on how to drive safely on Nigerian roads so they can stay alive and more importantly for the safety of the passengers.
His words:’What we are telling you is to drive carefully, so you can be alive and do well. I will like you to pay attention while the training lasts. You learn so you can stay alive and grow’.
He disclosed that when some of his committed drivers takes over management of Peace Mass Transit buses under the Driver To owners[ DTO] scheme, he will have enough time to concentrate on the Peace Motor Assembly plant, to produce buses that will be used to extend commercial bus services other African countries, such as Ghana, South Africa etc, where the Chinese are already making moves.
“I have vehicle assembly plant which just turned out 50 units last week. We want to dominate Africa transport business. No reason to allow Chinese to go to Egypt, Ghana etc to run transport business while we are here’, Maduka stated.
THE AUTHORITY South East Post checks revealed that Evangelist Maduka has ventured into Higher Education sector as he is currently building an entrepreneurial private university, known as ‘Maduka Onyishi University in Ekwegbe Community, Igbo Etiti local government area of Enugu state.At the occasion of the foundation laying ceremony of the Senatorial/Administrative building by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu state recently, Evangelist Maduka stressed the major purpose of the establishing the multi million entrepreneurial university is to promote knowledge and empower Nigerians academically, in the struggle to ginger development in this part of the world.
He assured that the tuition fees paid in Maduka Onyishi university when it begins operation will be affordable for both the rich and the poor since his aim of venturing into the Higher education sector is not to maximise profit, but to help in uplifting the standard of education in this part of the world.
At the time of filling this report, the speed of work at the construction site of the Maduka Onyishi University at Ekwegbe community is in geometrical progression, with hundreds of workers committed to the project, both skilled and unskilled workers.
THE AUTHORITY South East Post checks revealed Evangelist Dr Maduka Onyishi is one of the highest employer of labour among indigenous private sector establishments across the South East zone,, based on thousands of workers and those who enjoy economy of scales from Peace Mass Transit locations cut across the country, others employed by Peace Group, in addition to those at Ekwegbe site of Mduka Onyishi University.
