Chair of ICC World Chambers Federation, Rona Yircali, recently met with chamber organisations in Asia and Africa in a bid to strengthen the global chamber network and garner insight into chamber needs in the regions.

THE Federal government reiterated yesterday that if Nigeria must achieve the set target of becoming one of the top twenty largest economies of the world, there was the need for the promotion of value added export of locally produced goods.

Last week, we noted that “there is an ongoing debate as to whether the President is ‘zonally’ qualified to contest
elections in 2011. On account of the feeling in some quarters that the presidency had been zoned to the North for eight years reckoned from 2007, the office of president they argue, would have no vacancy for a non northerner until 2015.

Scientists working at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), and the Agriculture Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture have identified strains of fungi native to Kenya that could solve large-scale grain contamination from aflatoxins and save millions of people.

If one is to believe the Bible declaration that King Solomon had so many women that he loved and that he married an Egyptian, the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites, then one might be tempted to believe that one of the 700 or 1000 wives he was reported to have married was Birikisu Sungbo, regarded as the Biblical Queen of Sheba.

The non-implementation of the National Tourism Master Plan in the country after two years of its launching should be put at the door steps of the steps of the civil servants in the Federal Ministry of Tourism & Culture.

Activities’ marking this year’s MTN Ayangalu talking drum festival was rounded up weekend at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife with a lecture on the Spirit of the drums in the palace delivered by Oba Olusanya Dosumu, the Olowu and Paramount Ruler of the Ancient Owu Kingdom.

Immigration policy on visa has helped tourism says Runsewe The Director general of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Otunba Olusegun Runsewe has attributed the in flux of tourists to the country to the policy of the Nigerian Immigration Services which now make access to the country’s Visa easy.

For many political observers in the North, the recent statement by the northern socio-cultural group, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), to the effect that the North may not support President Goodluck Jonathan’s perceived ambition to contest the 2011 presidential election amounts to a volte face.

The naira depreciated again at the official market and the interbank market yesterday as the Central Bank of Nigeria failed to meet foreign exchange demand at the Wholesale Dutch Auction System (WDAS).

In keeping with its tra
dition of continuous
and efficient service delivery to the banking industry and other stakeholders, the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) has elected new set of Office Holders to steer the affairs of the Institute for the next two years.
At the head of the newly constituted Governing Council is Mr. ‘Laoye Jaiyeola, FCIB, a thorough bred professional banker and financial analyst as President/Chairman of Council. He succeeds, Dr. Erastus B.O. Akingbola, FCIB, immediate Past President of the Institute.
Other elected Office Holders that will assist Mr. Jaiyeola in the onerous task of running the affairs of the Institute are: Mr. Segun Aina, FCIB, FCIB – 1st Vice President; Otunba ‘Debola Osibogun, FCIB- 2nd Vice President; Mr. Uche Olowu, FCIB-Treasurer. In addition to the Office Holders, Mr. Abdurahman Yinusa, FCIB, Executive Director, Finbank Plc, Mr. Bayo Olugbemi, FCIB, Managing Director/CE, First Registrars Nigeria Ltd, Barr. Deji Olanrewaju, FCIB, Lecturer, Babcock University, Mrs. Moji O. Giwa-Osagie, FCIB, Principal Manager, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc and Mr. Solomon A. Aderoju, FCIB, MD/CE, Solad Consulting, were also elected into the Governing Council of the Institute. They are expected to work hand in hand with the Office Holders.

IN the last twenty-eight days that Prince Vincent Eze Ogbulafor resigned as the national Chairman of the self acclaimed largest party in Africa, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the fight for his replacement has been hysterical.

The declining trend on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) continued, Wednesday, as the value of listed equities dropped further by N29.27 billion.

In furtherance of the its commitment to delivering top notch services to its customers, Standard Chartered Bank recently revamped its Priority Banking Offering.

MoneyGram International in partnership with First Bank of Nigeria Plc has expressed their preparedness to transform Nigeria’s financial services industry by providing funds transfer services to a vast majority of the Nigerian populace, especially people at the grassroots.