Stakeholders in the agricultural sector yesterday asked the Federal Government to urgently design a pro-active measure to tackle the non economic factors affecting the marketing of agriculture produce in the country.

Increasing research quality, building partnerships, and enhancing capacities to generate impact at the farm level will form the major agenda of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in the years ahead, according to Dr. Nteranya Sanginga, IITA’s new Director General.

ACADEMIC activities were paralysed, Tuesday, at Federal University of Petroleum Resources, FUPRE, Effu-run, Delta State, following a work-to-rule action by Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Non-Academic Staff Union, NASU, and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, in the institution.

SEVENTY-FIVE out of the 1,647 graduates from the University of Ibadan Monday bagged first class honours degree as the institution began activities marking its 63rd convocation ceremony.

NIPCO Plc Compressed Natural Gas, CNG project has again attracted the commendation of the Federal Government.

AS the 8th state-wide round of free screening for hypertension and diabetes commenced weekend, the need for life style modification has been mooted as the key management strategy for the conditions even 600,000 persons in Lagos have so far benefited from the exercise since inception in July 2007.

CHAIRMAN/Chief Executive Officer, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, Mr. Sam Amadi, has argued that the major challenge hindering the development of the nation’s electricity sector was not inadequate funding as being bandied over the years, but corruption, inefficiency and greed of operators.

CANADIAN mining giants have indicated interest to invest in the development of Nigeria’s mining and steel industry, giving positive impetus to the various efforts of the Federal Government at attracting foreign direct investments, FDIs into the nation’s mining industry.

SIEMENS Energy, an operator in the Nigerian energy sector said that its efforts to strengthen the activities in ocean power generation has resulted in an increase in its stakes in ocean power specialist Marine Current Turbines, MCT, to 45 percent.

GOVERNOR Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State has called on wealthy Deltans outside the state to come home and invest in businesses that would create employment for youths of the state and reduce youths’ restiveness.

University of Jos, Monday, matriculated 4,585 new students who were offered admission of the over 38,000 candidates that applied to the institution.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria will be filing out against the Zambian national team, another Afcon 2012-bound team, after the goaless draw with Botswana in Benin last Saturday.

Worried by series of accusations trailing the current security situation in the country, the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, has advised Nigerians against blaming the Federal Government or security agencies for the security breaches especially the Boko Haram bombings in Northern Nigeria, saying “it is the responsibility of all citizens.”

NATIONAL President of Nigerian Union of Petroleum Employees and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, Comrade Igwe Achese wants the Federal Government to be careful over its plans to deregulate the oil sector.

National Association of Edo State Students, NAESS, yesterday, said it remains the only recognised student association in charge of the organisation and welfare of Edo State students in tertiary institutions nationwide and not Coalition of Edo State Students Association, CESSA, led by one Innocent Ebhotemen.