- Mr. Pius Emmanuel was the only man in the company of three girls who went begging for arms on the streets from members of the public. Mr. Emmanuel, a 26 years old man is the leader who had been in the trade since 2004. He coordinated the street begging under the guise of Compassion International Project Centre, a supposed Non-governmental Organistion under the auspices of The Apostolic Church Nigeria in Amumara town in Anambra State. Each morning, members of the group took off from their abode, somewhere in Rumuigbo in Obio/Akpor local government. They were desirous like every other worker or business person. They endured the sun and the mild rain. Their missionary outreach for the need…

- The first reporter fire outbreak at the advent of this dry season was the incidence at the Nembe Waterside in the old Port Harcourt Township. A commercial wooden boat with drums of fuel designated for some Riverine communities got aflame due to a careless drop of a lit cigarette butt. The loss was colossal by the time the fire was put out. More fire incidences had occurred afterwards burning up chains of shanties, stores, property and human beings like the Ogbunabali incidence where a mother of four saved her children with the help of her neighbour but got trapped when she went for some personal effects. The four children like other victims bemoaned their fate and to depend on som…

- ‘It’s bad doing business around here,’ dotted every sentence that Mr. Vincent Etinosa made in the thirty minutes I engaged him in a conversation. Mr. Etinosa is an Edo indigene doing business in Elelenwo in Obio/Akpor local government, Rivers State. He is a graduate of computer science and the CEO of Jerry Business Centre located at the Trans Elelenwo-Woji road junction linking Akpajo Town. I had gone to the centre, on the first floor of a two storey building to type and print a TV script that would be use for a public announcement in the evening. ‘To type and print is ten naira,’ Mr. Etinosa told me when I inquired of the cost. I did not hide my feeling…

- On the 5th of December, 2009, the Koniju Town in Okrika Local Government of Rivers State in Nigeria organised the Iria [puberty] ceremony. It is a yearly event that honours virgins and encourages virginity among female youths in the entire Okrika ethnic nationality. The supposed virgins were painted with native Ichichu and Buruma dyes from the ankles to the crown of their heads. It was beautifully crafted with delicate designs on their bodies. They were expected to have entered Waribie –[the room] in their respective compounds on select days of the seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth months of the year. Then a final entry will span for at least thirty days with select women and fema…

- Following the discovery of Hiv/Aids in 1981 globally, african countries, under the then Organisation of African Unity (OAU), organised the first Africa Unity summit to craft a continental response to the emerging scourge. The first Nigerian case was reported at an international aids conference in 1986. Worried by the findings, the federal government immediately initiated proactive measures to check the situation and curb the spread of the scourge. Regrettably the virus has continued to penetrate every nook and cranny of the country, claiming lives. As the world prepares to mark another aids day, concerns are again raised on the workability of various moves initiated to increase awa…

- The National Arts Council of South Africa will host the fourth World Summit on Arts and Culture at Johannesburg, 22-25 September, 2009. It is a project of the International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies (IFACCA). The Programme Director for the Summit and Head of the Arterial Network's Secretariat Mike van Graan, has already dedicated a weekly column in the build up to the Summit to raise themes and provocative issues that will generate debate at the event. Many on the Arterial Network database are warming up to attend the World Summit. The columns features will be sent to the database with the first four sent daily basis of each week then they will be distributed…

- The National Arts Council of South Africa will host the fourth World Summit on Arts and Culture at Johannesburg, 22-25 September, 2009. It is a project of the International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies (IFACCA). The Programme Director for the Summit and Head of the Arterial Network's Secretariat Mike van Graan, has already dedicated a weekly column in the build up to the Summit to raise themes and provocative issues that will generate debate at the event. Many on the Arterial Network database are warming up to attend the World Summit. The columns features will be sent to the database with the first four sent daily basis of each week then they will be distributed…

Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Ufot Ekaette said the federal government of Nigeria has taken its determination to quell the Niger Delta crisis by providing paid employment in the oil and gas, information technology and agricultural sector for repentant militants. - The employment initiative was made public at the 3-day National Programme on Human Resource Development for Enhanced National Security organised by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in collaboration with the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and Hiltton Communications Limited in Abuja. Chief Ekaette who delivered a speech titled: “Our Roadmap to Peace and Security in the Niger Delta Region: The 7-Point Agenda Conn…

- Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Ufot Ekaette says the Federal government of Nigeria has taken its determination to quell the Niger Delta crisis by providing paid employment in the oil and gas, information technology and agricultural sector for repentant militants. The employment initiative was made public at the 3-day National Programme on Human Resource Development for Enhanced National Security organised by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in collaboration with the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and Hiltton Communications Limited in Abuja. Chief Ekaette who delivered a speech titled: “Our Roadmap to Peace and Security in the Niger Delta Region: The 7-Point Agenda Conn…

- The United Nations (UN) has awarded peace keeping medals to 120 Nigeria Police Officers for their meritorious service in Liberia. The Head of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), Ellen Margrethe Loj, commended Nigeria's peacekeepers for being "well-equipped to provide creative and home-grown expert solutions to complex global challenges," in international peacekeeping. The envoy spoke in the Liberian central city of Gbarnga, while conferring the award to the 120 officers which included 18 females of the Nigerian Formed Police Unit (NFPU).in Liberian central city of Gbarnga. Ellen Loj, who is a Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the UN, observed…

The United Nations has awarded peace keeping medals to 120 Nigeria police officers for their meritorious service in Liberia. The Head of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), Ellen Margrethe Loj, commended Nigeria's peacekeepers for being "well-equipped to provide creative and home-grown expert solutions to complex global challenges," in international peacekeeping. - The envoy spoke in the Liberian central city of Gbarnga, while conferring the award to the 120 officers which included 18 females of the Nigerian Formed Police Unit (NFPU) in Liberian central city of Gbarnga. Ellen Loj, who is a Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the UN, observed that "Nigerians …

- A popular Nigerian actor and chairman Nigeria Rebranding committee Chief Pete Edochie had blamed Nigeria politicians whose activities had aggraviated Nigeria youths and made him a victim of kidnappers. He was speaking shortly after he was released after he had spent three days with his abductors who abducted him at Nkpor on his way to Asaba, Delta. He said the incidents that keep recurring in the north are not religious disturbances; they manifest themselves as violent civil disobedience but actually, those insurrections are inspired by hapless circumstances. What presents itself as irredeemable poverty and people who are victims of this poverty are the people who are easy to manipulate…

- It was in May when the former CBN governor Professor Charles Soludo annouced that Nigerian Banks do not need bail-out fund to grapple with the challenge the world economic melt down evoked. But the confidence so expressed had been proved wrong two months after. His succession Mr. Sanusi Sanusi had uncovered cross financial practice that is actually recking the financial sector of the economy. The discovery also shows that Prof Charles Soludo may have used his position as Chairman of African Finance Corporation to borrow N32 billion from Oceanic Bank. The new CBN governor sacked the chief executives of five banks last week for allegedly mismanaging their banks and accumulating a portfoli…

- It was in May when the former CBN governor Professor Charles Soludo annouced that Nigerian Banks do not need bail-out fund to grapple with the challenge the world economic melt down evoked. But the confidence so expressed had been proved wrong two months after. His succession Mr. Sanusi Sanusi had uncovered cross financial practice that is actually recking the financial sector of the economy. The discovery also shows that Prof Charles Soludo may have used his position as Chairman of African Finance Corporation to borrow N32 billion from Oceanic Bank. The new CBN governor sacked the chief executives of five banks last week for allegedly mismanaging their banks and accumulating a portfoli…

- It was in May when the former CBN governor Professor Charles Soludo annouced that Nigerian Banks do not need bail-out fund to grapple with the challenge the world economic melt down evoked. But the confidence so expressed had been proved wrong two months after. His succession Mr. Sanusi Sanusi had uncovered cross financial practice that is actually recking the financial sector of the economy. The discovery also shows that Prof Charles Soludo may have used his position as Chairman of African Finance Corporation to borrow N32 billion from Oceanic Bank. The new CBN governor sacked the chief executives of five banks last week for allegedly mismanaging their banks and accumulating a portfoli…

- Less than 20 months to the 2011 general elections in Nigeria, the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Maurice Iwu, has alarmed that it is not sure of the scope of functions, as well as the legal instrument to employ in the conduct of the 2011 elections. Iwu blamed INEC confusion on going debates on the electoral and constitutional reforms which have delayed INEC from starting deliberations and enlightenment campaigns about the electoral processes, procedures, as well as the guidelines to ensure free and fair delivery of the elections. Iwu was speaking IN Kaduna at the three-day retreat on INEC Operational Plans for the 2011 General Electio…

Nigerian authorities have released an Ukrainian cargo plane that made a forceful stop-over landing at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport for shortage of fuel and was impounded by officials of the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) in June, 2009. The released plane left the Kano airport on Tuesday. - The plane, along with the eight-member crew on board when it landed, was allowed to leave for Malabo , Equatorial Guinea's capital. The Federal Government had conducted several investigations and was satisfied that the 18 crates of arms and ammunition aboard the plane truly belong to the Equatorial Guinea government. The Federal Government source said the ammunition we…

The Central Bank of Nigeria has barred banks from trading in foreign exchange sourced from the official market among themselves. The move is intended to curb the rising speculation in activities prevailing in the nation's foreign exchange market. - In a circular entitled: “Non-Transferability of Funds from Wholesale Dutch Auction System (WDAS) Among Authorized Dealers”, the apex bank stated that banks can no longer use foreign exchange sourced from the official market for inter-bank trading. Such funds should only be used to meet customers demand for foreign exchange alone. It also directed the banks to keep separate books for their inter-bank foreign exchange transaction…

The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, ruled out any bailout package for any bank or organization in the country. He said due to the innovative and dynamic nature of the global economy, Nigeria should prepare to weather the next economic crisis, which will occur at any point in time. - But despite the challenges stemming from the global economic crisis, Soludo however, ruled out any bailout package for any bank or organisation as the Federal Government could not afford such. Professor Soludo was speaking at the International Conference to mark the 50th anniversary of the Central Bank of Nigeria in Abuja and stated that; “no matter the quality and quantum of …

- 2009 world tuberculosis day has been observed with a focus to raise public awareness on the danger associated with the disease in Nigeria. This year’s theme being I AM STOPPING TB is based on the need to check the spread of the disease in the developing countries of 22 in number with Nigeria rated the fifth TB burdened country. The opinion of a cross section of the public in Port Harcourt and Obio Akpor local government in Rivers State and Yanagoa was sampled Tamunobarabi Gogo Ibulubo who observed that most of them claimed ignorance of the effect of tuberculosis and any meaning full effort done either by the government or individual to stem TB. They called for more public en…

The government of Bayelsa state in Niger Delta, Nigeria, has cried out that militants in the area have threatened to blow up oil facilities and wreck unnamed havoc if it keeps faith with the promise to rescind payment of the regular monthly allowance to them. - The Bayelsa government pays about NGN100, 000,000 (US$677,966) as servicing allowance to seven militant’s camps spread out in the state. But since the world financial crisis began to take a hard toll on Nigeria, the monthly allocation for the constitute states and local governments have dropped making the payment of salaries as well as make the execution of capital projects difficult. With the threat from the militants the Ba…

The Nigerian government has launched a national image campaign aimed at reversing the negative perception held by people about that country and its people. The campaign kicked off with the launch of the slogan and logo in Abuja, Nigeria. - The vice President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who unveiled and presented the logo/slogan to the public said the re-branding launch does not mean a quick solution to the plethora of problems prevalent in the country. The problems he listed included poor road network, epileptic power supply, poor health service, corruption, unemployment, election rigging, internet scam, drugs and other negative attributes that Nigeria has been associated with over…

- Chairman of The Truth and Reconciliation Commission set up one year six months ago to uncover the remote and immediate causes of the crisis that engulf Rivers State to make life unsafe, increased oil bunkering and led to the sacking of Okuru Ama has submitted its report to the state governor, Right Honourable Chibuike Amaechi at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Port Harcourt. The five hundred and seventy one pages report is the recommendation of the commission’s findings from forty one public sittings, forty seven committee sittings and two hundred and sixty memoranda received from members of the public. The Chairman Justice Kayode Eso said the commission reconciled fi…

Twelve million Nigerians in the rural communities are set to have digital access to a broadband network next year. This is to be made possible in a joint venture between Nigeria Postal Services and Galaxy Backbone Plc. A memorandum of understanding between the two organizations has been signed. - Under the terms of the memorandum, Galaxy Backbone Plc will provide Vsat-based connectivity to all NIPOST’s one hundred and fifty post offices across the country based on NICEP project. The secretary to the government of the federation, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed was at hand to witness the signing. The Managing director of Galaxy Backbone Plc, Gerald Ilukwe, said the facility will provide virtu…

- Four out of every five dollars earned in the communication Sector is telecommunication generated as the sub sector grows.In 2007, the revenue was put at one point eight trillion dollars and in 2008 it has increased to two trillion dollars;a seven point six per cent growth. The principal research analyst at Garner,Mr Will Halm said despite the growth,the industry faces challenges in the growth of fixed voice sector which has either slowed or begun to shrink in developed countries. He expressed the opinion that the growing mobile voice could also stagnate as a proportion of the market by 2012.It is for casted that by 2012,the service segment will have a CACR of four point four per cent…