PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, promised to make funds available immediately to the Lagos State government to find permanent solution to the menace of perennial flooding in parts of the state as a result of water from Oyo_Ogun basin.

The 12–member committee of wisemen set up by the Northern Political Leaders Forum, NPLF, starts a region-wide tour from tomorrow, to make consultations with key stakeholders on their choice of a consensus Northern candidate. It is believed that they have made a choice and they want to test this with stakeholders before going public with their decision.

The Federal Government has ordered an investigation into the disappearance of a ship which was detained in Tin Can Island Port, Lagos for allegedly carrying toxic waste.

A Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, yesterday, quashed a multiple counts of official corruption charge preferred by the Federal Government against Mallam Nasir el-Rufai and two key officials of the Abuja Geographic Information System, AGIS.

Chief Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ola Sa’id Ibrahim, in Lagos, bemoaned what he described as “lack of legal instrument” backing its operations in the nation’s territorial waters saying it was hindering the fighting against sea enemies.

PAST president of National Association of Microfinance Banks and chairman, Catland Microfinance Bank, Otunba Olatunde Olowu, says microfinance banks affected by the recent revocation of licences by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, should contact the apex bank to iron out any differences rather than head to court.

National President of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents, ANLCA, Prince Olayi-wola Shittu, has said the Association intends to improve the revenue deriavable to the Federal Government by ensuring that the right duties are paid on all goods imported or exported.

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has stressed the need for the Federal Government to review downwards the existing tariffs on imported raw materials for the manufacture of transformers in Nigeria.

ONDO State government has disbursed over N550 million loans to 1,460 workers in the Local Government Service as part of its commitment to the promotion of the welfare of its workforce.

Delta State Cultural troupe which performed to a rapturous audience during the celebration of Nigeria’s golden anniversary at Tokyo, the Japanese capital, returned a few days ago to Asaba with tales of pleasant experiences. The 30-member contingent that comprised 20 staff of the performing arts division of DSCAC and 10 officials drawn from the Directorate of Culture and Tourism, and Delta State Tourism Board.