Etoroma also encouraged the militants to embrace the government’s amnesty so that peace could be restored fully to the region and expressed confidence in the amnesty.

In the statement titled: “No better Chairman than Larry Koinyan for NDDC” and signed by Mr. Richard Akassa, President and Mr. Solomon Durus, Media Director, the group also commended President Yar’ Adua and Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan for nominating Pastor Power Aghinighan as the Executive DirectorFinance/Administration of the commission and Mr. Emmanuel Ogidi as Delta State Commissioner on the NDDC board.

The Chairman, Board of Directors, Dangote Sugar Refinery PLC, Alhaji Aliko, Dangote, has declared that the company’s 1.1 million annual metric tonnes Algerian sugar refinery is nearing completion, and will begin production next year.

A cargo scanner valued at over N750 million is lying idle at the Calabar port, the Chief Executive Officer of Global Scansystems Ltd, Mr Fred Udechukwu, has said. Udechukwu told the news Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar on Monday that one year after his firm installed the HCV Mobile scanner, the scanner had only performed less than 5 per cent of its installed capacity.

Dr Shamsuddeen Usman, Minister, National Planning Commission, on Monday in Abuja said Nigeria ‘s Vision 20:2020 document would be released in October. Usman told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that this would set the development agenda for Nigeria.

The Acting Managing Director of NDDC, Mr Power Aginighan, on Monday in Abuja solicited the support of the Senate to ensure continued survival of the commission.Defending the commission’’s 2009 budget of N96.62 billion before the Senate Committee on Niger Delta, Aginighan appealed to the committee to ensure that the 50 per cent due to the commission from the Ecological Fund for 2009 was given to it.

Property catastrophe rates increased   for midyear renewals, but not as much as reinsurers had hoped and insurers had feared, brokers and reinsurers say.

The mandatory group life insurance provided in the Pensions Act 2004 will now be expanded to cover disability during the life of the insured. This was part of the amendment being sought by operators into the existing law.

Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) has suggested that special war insurance policies be introduced to serve the needs of vessels that travel through areas at high risk of piracy. The report, “Piracy: An Ancient Risk With Modern Faces”, notes that “currently, many vessels are insured for piracy as part of their standard ‘hull and machinery’ insurance policies”.

Crystalife Assurance Company Limited has renewed its commitment to surpass the company’s performance in the second half of the year as the company takes stock of its progress in the first half of the year.