By Vincent Ujumadu AWKA—A Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State, Chief George Okoye has asked aggrieved members of the party to unite for the forthcoming governorship and local government elections in the state.

The Managing Director of Lai Clothiers, Chief Lai Olumegbon, has estimated that the garment industry is capable of employing over 600,000 Nigerians who would in turn generate employment if the industry was properly harnessed.

According to him, the council is witnessing some level of development in this political dispensation and expressed the readiness of the committee to partner with the local government council as long as the council, under the headship of Mrs. Josephine Abeki, continued to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people of the area.

Making the call in Asaba while speaking with newsmen, Prof. Ejovwho Johnson Kevwe alleged that a group of political Leaders in Ughelli South Local Government Area has concluded plans to impose a chairmanship candidate of Ughievwen extraction on the people on the people of the local government area without the party primacies at a time the Federal Government is re-branding Nigeria, and the National Leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is re-branding the party and its constitution.

According to him, “because the Comrade governor was very worried with the deaths and inhuman treatment being meted to our people over there, we have been making frantic efforts with the Foreign Ministry to speak with the Libyan officials but what we discovered so far is that they are very difficult people to deal with.

The Federal; Government may have paid N51.8 billion to the three scanning service providers involved in the Inspection Destination project namely Cotecna, SGS and Globalscan for services provided since the scheme commenced three and half years ago.

Global leading container carrier, Maersk Line, has introduced direct shipping services into Nigeria’s ports even as many other major shipping lin es ha ve scaled down their product offering in Nigeria; consequent upon increasing operational difficulties due to the global economic downturn.

About two months to the retirement of Bernard Shew Nwadialo, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the tussle for who replaces him has again sprang up with top officials of service lobbying top government officials for the position.

THE Task Force on Customs Reforms instituted by the Federal Government a few weeks ago has warned officers from involving themselves in fraudulent acts that may cost them their jobs if caught.

Determined to enthrone true demo cratic principles in the conduct of its affairs, the body entrusted
by the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) with the conduct of its elections, Association Electoral Commission (ASECO), has written to the various area commands of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), requesting that the respective Controllers furnish it with “the authentic list of existing Customs agents licenses at your command”.

The directive by the Federal Government to the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, and Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, to contribute N1 billion each for the dredging of the River Niger has been faulted by the leadership of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, NCMDLCA.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has taken delivery of two brand new helicopters with a view to fighting smuggling and bringing it to the barest mimimum.

African Circle Limited, a marine waste management firm has acquired four new vessels to tackle pollution and other marine waste in the nation’s coastal waters in line with the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) objectives of safer and cleaner water for shipping activities.

Standards Organization of Nigeria is set to commence a series of activities to kick-start the celebration of the Nigerian Quality Week 2009 in Kano for industries and stakeholders in the Northern Zone of the country.

The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive of Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, Dr Barth Ebong has said that given the current global financial meltdown, the nation’s economy needs to be stimulated particularly to give the banking public the motivation and leverage to deepen banking culture.