2006/06/30 Latest Nigeria news from My9ja.com

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2006/06/30 Latest Nigeria news from My9ja.com

Obasanjo Tasks Intelligence Agency on Militias Arms Proliferation

President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday advised the National Intelligence Agency NIA to direct more of its energy and capability to checking the operations of militias springing up across the country and reporting same to Government The President who gave the

UI LASU UNILAG Join Strike

Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU University of Ibadan UI Lagos State University LASU and the University of Lagos UNILAG yesterday joined their colleagues nation wide to observe the five day strike which ends on July

Policemen Civil Defence Corps Clash in Ilorin

Hell was let loose on Wednesday evening in Ilorin when anti riot policemen and members of the Nigerian Security Civil Defence Corps NSCDC engaged themselves in a battle for supremacy About six officials of the Civil Defence Corps werehospitalised

NARTO Kitted with Police Uniform MASSOB

Members of the Movement for the Acutalisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra MASSOB and the Biafra Liberation Front BLF have protested the illegal issuance of Police uniforms to eight members of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport

Minister Tasks Public Servants on Quality Service

Finance Minister Mrs Nenadi Usman has outlined requirements public servants must abide by to meet public yearnings for quality service delivery Usman who spoke at the launch of the Investments and Securities Tribunal s local unit of Servicom in Abuja

Strike: Ezekwesili Meets ASUU Monday

The Federal Government is to meet with the National Executive Committee NEC of the Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU on Monday as part of activities aimed at repositioning the education sector in Nigeria Minister of Education Dr Mrs

Corruption: Imo Speaker Dares EFCC

Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly Honourable Kelechi Nwagwu has described his invitation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC as a fruitless venture because he is innocent of the allegations Nwagwu said it is very

Okonjo Iweala: Visa Policy Must Change

The new Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala yesterday assured Nigerians that she would press for a review of the processes for obtaining the visa of other countries to check the growing cases of Nigerian applicants being

Public Sector Reforms Can t be Reversed After 2007 Says Obasanjo

President Olusegun Obasanjo said that he would ensure that all public sector reforms embarked upon by his administration are not be stopped by any in coming administration The President who emphasised that the reforms would be implemented quot to the point

Nigeria s Ugboaja Makes NBA Draft History

Even in absentia homeboy Ejike Ugboaja made history on Wedn esday when he was drafted into the lucrative American NBA as the 54th Pick for Cleveland Cavaliers despite being denied visa by the US embassy in Nigeria The Union Bank

South South in Titanic Battle

The roles played by leading presidential aspirants from the South south zone in the abortive extra tenure project of President Olusegun Obasanjo may have undermined the geo political block s aspiration for the nation s presidency in 2007 As the permutations for the

Detained Journalists Granted Bail

Sedition The Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday admitted to bail two journalists charged with sedition by the Federal Government Mr Rotimi Durojaye of Daily Independent and Mr Gbenga Aruleba of Africa Independent Television AIT who

2007: Electoral Act Not Superior to Constitution nbsp Ribadu

Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC Mallam Nuhu Ribadu yesterday described as laughable insinuations in some quarters that following the passage of Electoral Act 2006 the EFCC and other security agencies have been divested

Jonathan Urged to Run in 2007

Bayelsa Ekeremor Local Govern ment Area has added its voice to the call on Bayelsa State Governor Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2007 gubernatorial election to enable him continue with the good works Council Chairman Mr Robinson

ALGON Blames EFCC for Members Arrests

Imo Association of Local Government Councils of Nigeria ALGON has critised the way and manner the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC has been arresting its members National President of the Association Barrister Wike Ezebunwo Nyesom

Heidelberg s Trains 210 Printing Undergraduates

Lagos As part of its contribution towards the growth and development of print industry in Nigeria Heidelberg Nigeria Limited one of the leading printing companies in the country has so far trained more that 210

Awolowo Laid Solid Foundation for Devt

Lagos Retired Comptroller General of Customs and a Peoples Democratic Party PDP senatorial aspirant for Ogun East federal constituency Omoba Gbenga Osinowo yesterday attributed the rapid development of South west zone to the vision and foresight

2007 Presidency: South East Lacks Bargaining Edge

Enugu The South East aspirationsand campaignsto produce the next President for Nigeria in the 2007 general elections has been described as a goal being pursued with inadequate focus sice the geo political zone has not unified its forces

Turaki Lamido Alliance a Huge Joke ACD

Jalingo The Advanced Congress of Democrats ACD in Jigawa state has described as the joke of the year the political merger between the governor of the state Alhaji Saminu Turaki and the former Foreign Affairs

Indorama: NNPC Re absorbs 700 Eleme Petro Chemical Workers

FCT The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation NNPC yesterday said has recalled seven hundred former workers of the Eleme Petrol chemical Company Port Harcourt whose services were no longer required by company s new operator Indorama Infrastructures Nigeria

2007: We re Not Deterred By Odili s Critics Toby

Rivers Rivers State government yesterdaysaid it would not be swayed by the deluge of criticisms which have trailed the envisaged Presidential ambition of Governor Peter Odili Odili s Deputy Sir Gabriel Toby said this when he received

US Mission UBA Sign Fee Collection Agreement

Banking The United States Mission to Nigeria and United Bank for Africa Plc yesterday at the U S Consulate General in Lagos formally signed a visa fee collection agreement The Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer

W Bank Assess Progress on 120m Solid Mineral Project

Economy Officials of the World Bank yesterday commenced an assessment study into the state of execution of the 120m capacity build up programme for small scale or artesian miners in the country s solid minerals sector being jointly

DMO Urges Nigerians to Invest in FGN Bonds

Finance The Debt Management Office DMO has called on Nigerians and corporate organisations to take advantage of the instrumentality of government bond to diversify their investment portfolios and hedge their funds against inflation DMO gave the

2007: NDP Flays Call for Consensus Candidate

Bayelsa The National Democratic Party NDP in Bayelsa State has dissociate itself from a report that all the political parties in the state have agreed to picked someone as consensus candidate to contest the 2007

FG Means Well for Niger Delta Horsfall

fct Honourary Adviser to the President on Social and Economic Development of the Coastal States of theNiger Delta Chief Albert Horsfall yesterday sued for the cooperation of all citizens of the Niger Delta region on

PDP Not Investigating Ibori Odeh

FCT The People s Democratic Party yesterday made clarifications on the state of the party in Delta State saying the State Governor Chief James Ibori was not under any probe for anti party activities as was widely

Nigerian Engineers Told To Upgrade Skills

Lagos The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission Engr Ernest Ndukwe has called on NIgerian Engineers to upgrade and sharpen their skills in order to supply skilled manpower t Nigeria s emerging telecommunications industry Engr Ndukwe

Pronaco Crisis: Soyinka Denies Indicting Enahoro

Lagos Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka yesterday denied that he described Chief Anthony Enahoro s leadership style as quot the biggest source of conflict affecting PRONACO quot Soyinka who spoke to THISDAY yesterday in Lagos to debunk the newspaper

Lucent Denies NITEL Bid

Lagos United States telecom firm Lucent technologies may have dumped its bid to take control of Nigeria s national operator Nigerian Telecommunications Limited NITEL through a consortium called FT Networks The company while reacting to the bid

Shonekan Warns Against Lop sided Income Distribution

Former Head of State Chief Ernest Shonekan has said the country is apparently sitting on a time bomb with the prevailing widening disparity in income distribution Shonekan gave the warning in a paper titled The Role of the Anglican Communion

Ekiti Senator Olowoporoku Joins ACD

Senator Bode Olowoporoku Ekiti South yesterday on the floor of the Senate dumped the People s Democratic Party PDP on which platform he was elected into the upper legislative chamber and moved to the minority row after formally declaring

C River Organises Workshop for Traditional Rulers

Following incessant communal clashes in some parts of Cross River State the State Government has concluded plans to organise a refresher workshop for traditional rulers on how to maintain peace in their domains Governor Donald Duke who announced

NAFDAC Gives Fresh Condition for Drug Registration

Membership of Pharm aceutical Ma nufacturing Group of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria PMG MAN or Association of Pharmaceutical Importers of Nigeria APIN is now a mandatory requirement for companies seeking to register their drugs with the National Agency for Food and

Ijaw Youth Leaders Settle Rift

The internal wrangling rocking the Ijaw Youth Council IYC was yesterday laid to rest with the recall of the impeached President Comrade Oyinfie Jonjon by the National Executive Council of the youth council Disclosing this to newsmen in Yenagoa

Minister NYSC Boss Storm Lagos for MDGs Forum

Minister ofInter GovernmentalAffairs Mrs Grace Ogwuche and the Director General National Youth Service Corps NYSC Brigadier General Yusuf Bomoiwill on Monday lead stakeholders from across the country to brainstorm on how Nigeria can take advantage of a United Nations initiative

Bye Election: Goje Harps on Peaceful Conduct

Governor Danjuma Goje of Gombe State yesterday rounded up his bye election campaign for Gombe Kwami and Funakaye Federal Constituency with a call on the people to ensure peaceful conduct of the election Goje who visited Funakaye Kwami and

Insurance Firms Generate N87bn In 2005

Nigerian Insurers Asso ciation NIA the body representing 97 out of the 103 insurance companies operating in the country has put the value of gross premium income of its member companies last year at N86 7 billion The out going Chairman of the

2007: Nigeria Needs Health Sector Friendly President

Nigerians have been urged to ensure that the next president of the country is one fully committed to raising the health standard of the people Chairman Board of Trustees Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria HERFON Dr Haliru Yahaha

Nigeria Ranks Third Poorest Country in World

Head of delegation of the European Commission to Nigeria Leonidas Tezapsidis says Nigeria is ranked the third country with the highest number of poor people in the world Tezapsidis stated this at a workshop for Water Supply and Sanitation

Challenge of Electricity Supply in Nigeria

There is fresh excitement brewing up in the Ministry of Power and Steel More so up at the Maitama offices of the National Integrated Power Projects The surge of adrenalin is not a wayward sensation It is the

Saraki Inaugurates Judicial Panel on Offa Erinle Feud

Kwara Bukola Saraki of Kwara State yesterday sworn in members of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the recent civil disturbances at Offa and Erin Ile communities Similarly the Chairmen of Ekiti and Edu Local Government Councils

2007: ACD Will Overwhelm PDP in Ekiti Aspirant

Advanced Congress of Democrats ACD gubernatorial aspirant in Ekiti State Engr Olusegun Oni yesterday said his party would floor the rival People s Democratic Party PDP in the 2007 governorship election Oni who stated this at an interactive session with

Lagos Free Eye Care Programme to Boost School Enrolment

Governor Bola Tinubu of of Lagos State has said the introduction of the primary school eye care service is aimed at improving school enrolment which may drop through bad sight of school pupils The

Banking Stocks Decline By 40 9

Banking suibsector which normaly dominate activity on the Nigerian Stock Exchange NSE further recorded a huge decline yesterday as the volume of shares traded in the subsector diped by 43 million ordinary shares representing 40 9 percent decline Trading results

Egwu Pledges to Improve Healthcare Delivery

Governor Sam Egwu of Ebonyi State has reaffirmed the undying commitment of his administration to improving the standard of healthcare delivery by effectively equipping all the health institutions in the state Speaking at the oath taking ceremony of the 6th

N8bn Debt: 10 NPA Contractors Die Awaiting Payment

Fct No fewer than 10 contractors to the Nigeria Ports Authority NPA who are among those owed N8 billion by the ports body have lost their lives due to their inability to afford medical treatment

Aina Takes Over as CIS President

The Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers CIS yesterday inducted Mr Oladipo Aina as its new president Aina who was elected by the board at the institutes Annual General Meeting AGM takes over from Henry Olayemi who has manned the post

Nigeria begins national polio campaign (Independent Online)

Health workers in Nigeria are hoping to immunise millions of children under the age of five during their national polio drive, which forms part of a project to eradicate the crippling disease from the country by the end of 2007.

Nigeria to Begin Bakassi Pullout on Weekend (Rigzone)

Nigeria will begin to withdraw from the disputed oil-rich Bakassi peninsula this weekend, outgoing Chief of Defence Staff, General Martin-Luther Agwai, said Thursday.

Nigeria: Annan Sets First Meeting On Accord Between Nigeria And Cameroon (AllAfrica.com)

The first meeting on the details of transferring authority in West Africa's Bakassi Peninsula from Nigeria to Cameroon, as agreed in a recent pact signed under United Nations auspices in New York, will take place in Geneva during the first week of July, Secretary-General Kofi Annan has told the Security Council.

Nigeria begins a five-day polio immunization campaign (AFP via Yahoo! News)

Health workers in northern Nigeria began a five-day immunization of millions of under fives against the polio virus in an effort to eradicate the crippling disease from the country by the end of 2007.

Nigeria police 'fight corruption' (BBC News)

The police reject the conclusions of a report that it is regarded as one of Nigeria's most corrupt institutions.

Nigeria: FAAN Retrenchment Concluded - MD (AllAfrica.com)

The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Muhammed Yusuf has assured aviation security personnel at the authority that restructuring exercise that swept off some staff of the directorate has been concluded.

Nigeria: Transcorp Will Boost Economic Growth in Nigeria And Africa - Says President Obasanjo (AllAfrica.com)

President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that he expects the Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp) to rapidly develop into a key agent of economic growth and development in Nigeria and other African countries.

Nigeria: Osmi Confirms MTN Sole Telecoms Partner (AllAfrica.com)

Optima Sports Management International (OSMI), Nigeria's leading sports marketing organization and the TV and New Media rights holders of the on-going 18th FIFA World Cup, "Germany 2006", has reaffirmed the appointment of MTN Nigeria Communications Limited as the only platform through which football loving Nigerians can download actions and updates of the on-going World Cup tournament holding in

Nigeria: Demand for Rescharge Cards to Hit 50 Million Monthly (AllAfrica.com)

Sagem Orga West Africa has said that demand for recharge cards by GSM and PTOs subscibers could be as high as 50m per month in Nigeria.

Nigeria: Longe Named Transcorp CEO (AllAfrica.com)

FORMER Managing Director of First Bank of Nigeria Plc, Mr Benard Longe, has been appointed Group Chief Executive officer of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria, also known as Transcorp.