The Federal Government has distanced itself from a purported bill before the National Assembly seeking mandatory inclusion of 40 percent cassava flour in bread baked in the country.

Gunmen, weekend, killed four men who were playing cards at a Gidan Hamisu Gurgu relaxation spot at Gaida quarters of Kano municipality.

President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, denied his alleged complicity in a N155 billion oil block scandal allegedly involving Shell, ENI subsidiaries in Nigeria, a Nigerian oil firm and a former Petroleum Minister, Mr Dan Etete.

ABEOKUTA – The Nigeria Union of Teachers, Ogun State Chapter, said it had got the leave from the National Industrial Court, NIC, to join the Accountant-General of the state in the suit against the state Teaching Service Commission and the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, ASUSS, in the state over deduction of salaries of teachers.

LAGOS – The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Lagos branch has described as uncomplimentary, the statement credited to the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, Lagos branch, to the effect that it will call a strike over the Lagos State Government and doctors’ face-off while coalition of human rights group has warned the union against the proposed strike.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is expected to maintain its benchmark interest rate, the monetary policy rate at 12 per cent throughout this year, says Razia Khan of Standard Chartered Bank.

UGHELLI – Delta State House of Assembly has called for memoranda for the “Delta State Anti-kidnapping and Anti-terrorism bill” which sailed through the second reading on the floor of the House last week.

Super Eagles boss, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, kick-started preparations for the Brazil 2014 qualifier against Namibia in Calabar yesterday, when he announced that five players will not be part of the camp in the Cross River State capital, but can be recalled in the nearest future.

WE read so much about the many new ideas that Governor of Imo State, Owelle Anayo Rochas Okorocha, has introduced since he mounted the throne vacated by Sir Ikedi Ohakim one year ago.

ABAKALIKI – CHAIRMAN of Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Chief Ikeuwa Omebe and the leader of the Legislative Council, Mr. Daniel Nweke, weekend, escaped death by the whiskers after five gunmen attacked and shot them while they were returning from a traditional wedding in the state.

Dangote Cement Plc, said plans are on to increase total production of cement in order to meet its domestic and international markets, even as it paid a cash dividend of N1.20 per share for the financial year ended December 31, 2011.

One official of the senior national team called on arrival from Peru to say the following: ‘’Stephen Keshi and his coaches are not happy that Keshi is not being given a free hand to do his work.

ENUGU – ENUGU State Police Command said, weekend, that it killed a suspected member of a notorious armed robbery gang in a gun duel after it foiled an attempt by the gang to rob an old generation bank at Ovoko in Igboeze South Local Government Area, Enugu State.

Looking at development in the international oil market, Nigeria may be heading for another difficult time from external shock. This time, the impact on the economy may be worse than the impact the 2008 global financial crisis had on it. Oil prices are tumbling and traditional importers of crude oil are either finding alternatives or are over supplied. Nigerian economy may face very difficult time in the next two or so years.

The words ‘youth’ and ‘restiveness’ have become so commonly used together in the last couple of years that it seems to have taken on a life of its own. In the last decade and more there has been a proliferation of cases all over the country and indeed the world, of youth agitations which have tons of people dead and valuable infrastructure as well as personal properties lost and destroyed.