ABUJA- Expert in Artifacts yesterday, urged the Federal Government to immediately commence bilateral negotiation with United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Germany for the return of Benin bronzes.

The Southern African Association for the Conference Industry (SAACI) and South African Tourism (SAT) have joined forces to improve their service to the South African meetings industry.

As a means of keeping the populace and stakeholders in the Nigeria project informed about government activities and programmes, the Ministry of Information came up with the idea of Ministerial press briefings, which enable Ministers to give account of their stewardship.

Etisalat has announced its consolidated financial results for the year 2009, declaring a Net Profit of N 364.2 millon for the group compared to N 351 million recorded in 2008, which included profit on sale of shares in Mobily of N 36.7 billion after federal royalty.

Why FGM is unnecessary
We are challenging the so-called traditional rulers and elders to examine FGM. And if they think it to be what will make their women not be promiscuous and their wives to be faithful, what about the counterpart- you as a man? How does it stabilize you as a wonderful husband? Your wife is not promiscuous, what about you? How does she think of you, and how happy is she about you?

PLANS are already at advanced stage for Nigerian exporters to reap the benefits of hard work as the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) is set to recognise non-oil exporters in the nation.

The Nigerian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Lagos on Wednesday urged Nigerian usinessmen to channel their trade relations with China through the normal processes.

The new Director General of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms Arunma Oteh will today in Lagos meet with Capital Market Committee (CMC) to unveil her agenda and chart a way forward to move the nation’s capital market.

President of African Development Bank (ADB), Mr. Donald Kaberuka, has said the African Development Bank is poised to be an important bridge to further deepen and improve the mutually beneficial cooperation between Africa and China.

The federal Governments Thursday set up eight tax administrative tribunals to handle tax dispute in the country. This is coming on the heels of the federal government determination to focus on non oil tax revenue. The tribunals are located in the six geopolitical zones of the federation and one each in Lagos and Abuja. Each of the tribunals has a chairman and four other members called commissioners.

Eight insurance companies have established a study centre in Warri, Delta State for prospective students of the industry’s Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) examinations as well as insurance professionals.

The Institute of Risk Management (IRM) in collaboration with the Risk and Insurance Managers Society of Nigeria will be certifying managers after a 2-day intensive training scheduled for March in Lagos.

To ensure massive rice production in the country, the Third National Fadama Development project is collaborating with the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanism (NCAM) and Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria via an international initiative to boost rice production using simple cultivation technology.
The National Project Coordinator of Fadama project, Mr. Bukar Tijani who disclosed this while speaking during the collaborative meeting in Abuja, explained that the Fadam project is specifically designed to increase the incomes of users of rural land and water resources on a sustainable basis.

He explained the aim of the collaboration was to further improve rice production as an integral part of the mandate of the project towards reducing poverty, unemployment through improved agricultural activities particularly in the rural areas as a means ensuring food security.

The Fadama III Project and NCAM according him would work closely to ensure that Fadama groups are well trained for the adoption of the technology, which provides for a simple method of rice farming through bounding, pudding, levelling and smoothening of the soil.

In his remarks, the Acting Executive Director, National Centre for Agricultural Mechanism (NCAM), Engineer Ike Azogu, explained that the organisation would collaborate with the Fadama project under an improved rice production technology known as ‘SAWAH’ Technology Project.

The technology he said places high emphasis on water, soil fertility and weed management to achieve higher yields was said to has been domiciled in NCAM for the last eight years.

Engr. Azogu stressed further that, because of the close linkage of Fadama III project with farming communities was considered a veritable platform on whcich the technology could thrive effectively taking into cognisance its wide coverage of about 641 local government areas in Nigeria.

The Federal Government is to provide 600 hectares of land to cattle rearers under its grazing reserve project in Katsina State.
Dr Aminu Umar, the Project Manager, National Livestock Project, made the announcement in Runka village, Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State, during an inspection tour of the project.

Strong protest from Insurance brokers is trailing the Federal Government’s Group Life Insurance Scheme (GLIS). The protest is over the selection of insurance companies to insure federal government properties across the country for 2010.