Rectors under the aegis of Council of Heads of Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology in Nigeria, COHEADS, began their 123rd regular meeting at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, Wednesday, with a call on them to brace up to the challenge of making a meaningful impact on the nation’s drive to actualise Vision – 20:2020.

UGHELLI-NATIONAL President of Urhobo National Youth Council, UNYC, Mr. Monday Oyeghe, has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to appoint Urhobo indigene as chairman or managing director of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, since they were not given a place in the Federal Executive Council.

The iREPRESENT Documentary Film Forum, organisers of the iREP International Documentary Film Festival, has been appointed as the flagship of the newly formed Documentary Network Africa (DNA), which is aimed at uniting all African documentary filmmakers on the continent.

IlORIN- The Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Ilorin Wednesday, admitted a newspaper report where one of the petitioners and Governoship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Muhammed Dele Belgore SAN, was quoted as having described the April 2011 general elections as generally free, fair and credible in evidence.

FORMER Minister of State for Education, industrialist, attorney and politician, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi is regarded with awe by many, especially in his home state, Delta. Today, the youngest lawyer ever to head the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria turns 50. Ahead of today’s landmark, he took time off to reflect on his life and the state of affairs in his native Delta state. He touched on reasons why he rejected ministerial offers from the Sani Abacha and Olusegun Obasanjo administrations but accepted same from President Goodluck Jonathan. Gbagi who has been a recurring decimal in the political permutations of Delta State since 1999 also shed light on the persisting crisis in the Delta chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP among other issues. Excerpts:

Ijaw in Delta State have demanded for the creation of Toru-Ibe State with capital in Burutu city to save them from further socio-economic and political marginalisation.

The Rivers State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN recently scored Governor Chibuke Amaechi low in its assessment of the administration’s first 100 days in office. The Governor’s spokesman, however, sharply disagrees as he points at what he describes as the facts on ground and the fiction of the assessments. Excerpts:

AN operator in the nation’s fledging Free Zone business venture, Mr. Ladi Jadesimi, has called on the National Assembly to urgently pass the Nigerian Exports Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) Bill, saying the protracted delay in the passage of the reviewed law has rendered the growth of the industry stagnant.

The United Bank for Africa recently reiterated her commitment to give back to the country it has benefited from in the past decades by introducing scholarship opportunity to brilliants but least privileged secondary students through essay competition.

LAGOS-FORMER Chief of General Staff, Lt. General Oladipo Diya (rtd) has implored political leaders to avoid wasteful spending and ensure their investments are responsive to the yearnings and aspirations of the citizens, urging the government to improve power supply in the country without further delay.