The financial and economic crisis has cut global wage growth by half in 2008 and 2009, says a new report by the International Labour Office, ILO.

The controversies hallmarking the January 6, 2011 Delta State re-run governorship polls continued yesterday with one of the leading candidates, Chief Great Ogboru calling for the postponement of the elections because the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC is not ready.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is to receive N46,423,833,865 from the federal purse in 2011 for its preparations for the general elections.

Coach John Obuh ,Wednesday, said that his decision to invite 35 players from the local scene to camp next month was informed by the need to offer the invitees the final chance to make a push to be on the Flying Eagles squad to the African Youth Championships holding next March in Libya.

The general assembly of the Nigeria Football Federation yesterday approved the sum of N6.8 billion budget for its programmes and activities in year 2011.

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, Wednesday, directed the indefinite suspension of planned toll collection on the Eti-Osa Lekki Epe Expressway billed to commence on Monday, January 3, 2011.

CONTROVERSY,Wednesday, trailed the rice distributed by a governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr Kenneth Imasuagbon, in the three senatorial districts of Edo State, as the state PDP accused the state government of instigating some individuals in the state to criticize what it described as the kind gesture of the guber aspirant.

AS a commitment to a mutually beneficial and long lasting relationship between Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, and her host communities, the oil giant has donated two community halls, water bole and electricity projects to Ajudiabo and Samagidi communities in Delta State.

Nine Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship aspirants in Bayelsa State, have rejected the special adhoc delegates’ election held in the state Tuesday, over alleged malpractices and irregularities that characterised the exercise.

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has debunked critics’ claim of his administration being elitist saying, “one has to distinguish between cynics and critics who can never see anything good.”

Policemen attached to Ejigbo Division in Lagos State have arrested three suspected members of a robbery gang, which specialised in snatching exotic cars from their victims and selling same at give away prices outside Lagos.

This nomination must get to the Independent National Electoral Commission 60 days before the date appointed for the general elections. This is in accordance with section 31(1) of the Act. It seems to me that the register cannot be any other register other than that register referred to in section 10(4) of the Act which is the register in existence as at the time the Commission notifies the general public of the pending election.

TWO unidentified persons were flung into the Lagos lagoon while several others sustained severe injuries, Wednesday, when a Lagos commercial vehicle lost its front tyres and somersaulted several times on the Third Mainland Bridge.

It is established that federations or the practice of federalism differ from nation to nation. The practice and structures as well as the challenges they throw up are often shaped by historical experiences, resources, the balance of political forces, the pressing need for a firm political arrangement, and the premium placed on unity, accommodation, stability and collective progress. In other words, one can say with some certainty, that federalism in practice is always a work in progress.

The scheduled Tuesday ward congresses of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Benue State failed to hold in most parts of the state due mainly to lack of materials, crowd violence and alleged imposition of candidates without recourse to laid down procedures and congress guidelines.