Various sectors of the economy are on strike or about to start one; people are hungry and angry. How does this government propose to lead Nigeria out of this state of unrelieving pain? It says one thing today and another tomorrow, ambles forward an inch and engages the reverse gear for a mile, almost in the same breath.

UNICEF’s Executive Director, Ms. Ann Veneman, is visiting Nigeria July 31 – August 3, 2009.

The harrowing experience that Lagos residents go through on daily basis as a result of decaying infrastructure, is not limited to roads owned by the federal government. Investigations by Vanguard Property & Environment show that roads constructed and maintained by the State government are equally in terrible states of disrepair.

ABOUT N7 billion was realised last week at the official fund raising ceremony of the first ever International Cancer Centre Abuja (ICCA) to meet the N10 billion target. The fund is meant to construct a cancer centre that would provide services in the areas of diagnosis, treatment and research for cancer patients.

A declaration that the failure of the Defendants to establish any adequate monitoring of the human impacts of oil-related pollution – despite the fact that the oil industry in the Niger Delta is operating in a relatively densely populated area characterized by high levels of poverty and vulnerability, is unlawful as it violates the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

Sources close to the negotiations had said in April that the two sides were nearing a $75 million agreement, including the payment by Pfizer of $10 million legal fees, $30 million to Kano State and $35 million to victims and families.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Education, Dr. Joy Emodi, who made the plea during a courtesy call on Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State at Government House, Minna yesterday said even though the agitation of the union was justifiable, the way they were going about it was not justifiable.

Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum (NGF), who is also the Governor of Niger State, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, yesterday reviewed socio-cultural developments in the North and lamented that the area “had opportunities to have done better for our people for the better part of Nigeria’s independence but we appeared to have squandered those opportunities.”

President Umaru Yar’Adua has assured that the religious crisis in Bauchi State would be contained in such a way that it would not spread to all parts of the country.

OGUN State Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has impounded a luxury bus loaded with imported textile materials, a lorry loaded with wood being taken out of the country and several other vehicles, even has it collected over N9billion in three months as revenue.