A Niger Delta activist, Mr. Frank Akiefa, weekend, said the Niger Delta Ministry has not lived up to expectation in terms of developing the long-neglected region despite the huge budget geared towards the development of the area.

The Chief Executive Officer of Kainji Hydro Electricity Plc, Mr Reuben Akinwumi, said, weekend, the World Bank has approved $82 million loan for the rehabilitation of the Kainji Dam.

Four persons were burnt to death while about 40 others were in critical condition at Okpoga, Okpokwu local government of Benue State while trying to scoop petrol from a crashed tanker in the area.

KINGMAKERS in Ise-Akoko in Akoko North East Local Government Area of Ondo State, weekend, dismissed claims by former Chairman of Labour Party, LP, in the state, Dr. Olaiya Oni, that the monarch of the town, Oba Adegbenro Ayo Omola, had been deposed.

THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, hailed the recent de-registration of nine political parties by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as non-performing political parties, just as it called on the Commission to sanction its main opposition political party, the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN.

THE Lagos State Government has said it had lost over 10 metres of land to the ocean surge. This came as residents of Maiyegun community and Alpha Beach in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of state have called on Federal Government to urgently release ecological fund to the state to address the problem.

Anioma indigenes in the United States of America, under the aegis of Anioma Association in America, have called on the Delta State House of Assembly to come up with legislation that will promote peace, socio-economic and infrastructural transforma-tion of the state.

Mr. Eterhisan Oputu, a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta State and former House of Assembly aspirant, has asked President Goodluck Jonathan to keep in view the six-year single tenure proposal and tackle other vital issues affecting the country.

Movement for Democratic Sustainability, MDS, has urged critics of suspended President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, to stop making remarks that would overheat the polity and allow the matter currently in court take its normal course.

Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, yesterday, condemned Friday’s bombing of the United Nations House in Abuja by Boko Haram, saying the Federal Government should do everything possible to stop the senseless attacks capable of destabilising the polity.

Acting Governor of Niger State, Ahmed Musa Ibeto weekend condemned the spate of explosions currently rocking the nation, just as he restated the State Government’s position that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan should convene a stakeholders’ forum to proffer solutions to the incessant bombings.