The value of investors’ equities on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, gained N151.36 billion to end the Christmas week on a positive note.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced that the nation’s external reserve has dropped by 80 million dollars (about N12.4 billion).

Year 2012 has been a very challenging one for insurance operators in the country. ROSEMARY ONUOHA reviews some of the major events that shaped the industry in the course of the year.

WARRI—THE suit by Itsekiri host communities against Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, over alleged diversion of N1 billion meant for development of oil-bearing areas has been adjourned, following an attempt by suspected kidnappers to kidnap the judge handling the case, Justice Marshall Umukoro

Just as there have been calls for adoption of genetically modified crops in Africa as a means of providing food for the teeming population, so also there have been objections to its introduction based on ethical and moral issues. Our Correspondent, JIMOH BABATUNDE presents the views of Prof. Bamidele Solomon and Dr. Diran Makinde on this debate.

AKURE—MEMBERS of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Akure last weekend engaged in a violent clash over an attempt to change the leadership of the union.

Nigerians are, as a whole, not very comfortable with quantitative analyses. Our kids fail mathematics in droves at the School Certificate level and most of us, adults, are just a little better than our young ones. Yet, the entire argument about VISION 2020:20 is a simple matter of arithmetic; not even secondary school, but, primary school stuff.

As the year rolls by, it is natural that as humans, people look back and reflect over the gains and loses in their various areas of interests. As for Nigerian sports, 2012 was a bag of mixed grills. While some may pass a verdict of total failure, some others could see certain events in the outgoing year as a new beginning, a source of hope for a brighter future.

At the conclusion of the 2012 IMF/World Bank Group Annual Meetings in October, the Central Bank Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, decried the dollarization of the Nigerian economy to some Nigerian journalists, who were sponsored to that event in Japan. According to the Governor, his anxiety was equally shared by President Goodluck Jonathan.

The Bank of Industry, BoI, has revealed strategic plans to set up a micro-credit fund to address the funding needs of micro-enterprises.

Abuja—Okrika National Youth Movement, Sunday, accused leader of the Niger Delta Volunteer Force, Asari Dokubo, of pursuing a personal agenda, saying his attack on President Goodluck Jonathan recently was to arm twist the President into giving him a multi-million naira contract in the transportation sector.

2012 was a year ruled by an unparalleled Olympics disaster, one that beclouded all the accolades garnered by the Nigeria Football Federation as regards National Teams. Never in the history of our football did ALL the national teams qualify for the finals of all the continental competitions they entered for.

Alumni of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, Osun State, erudite scholars and eminent personalities, have commended the management of the Ivory Tower for the university’s excellent achievements since its establishment, over 50 years ago.

BENIN—SOME leaders of Egbema-Gbaramatu community in Delta State, have described as misleading, allegations of plot to blow up oil installations in the community due to purported leadership tussle in the area.

Lagos State government has expended close to N20 billion in the construction of housing projects across the state in the outgoing year 2012, even as it targets first quarter of 2013 for the take-off of the state mortgage scheme.