SPEAKER of the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS Parliament, Senator Ike Ekweremadu yesterday that Mali’s progress to the Semi Final at a time of crisis in their land in the ongoing African Cup of Nations in South Africa was particularly symbolic for the country and the West African sub region.

Improper record keeping and undue discrepancies in the book keeping of government agencies were made manifest in the latest report of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI.

THE Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has restated its commitment to reducing the country’s unbanked population by 20 per cent before year 2020. The move is part of the apex bank’s financial inclusion strategy aimed at ensuring greater participation in the nation’s financial sector.

THE Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Ondo State, yesterday, dismissed the petitions filed by the Accord Party’s candidate, James Ojo, Congress for Progressive Change, CPC’ s candidate, Olusoji Ehinlanwo and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, against the election of Governor Olusegun Mimiko, in the last year October 20 governorship election.

Banks have commenced collaborative effort to develop a framework to lend and finance power projects.

TO make the cease-fire declared by the Jama’atul Ahalis Sunna Lida’awati Wal Jihad, or Boko Haram Islamic Sect effective, the Borno State Government has urged sustained dialogue with the group.

Part one of this article reviewed the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN’s) model Joint Operating Agreement (JOA) and the need for a revision to reflect current practices and conditions in the industry. Changes to operators’ liabilities and default provision were also discussed.

Determined to address the shortfall in the housing sector, the Federal Government has approved a new Technical Board to restructure the Federal Housing Authority, FHA, with a view to repositioning it for effective service delivery.

A retired Edo State High Court judge, Justice Roland Amaize, has described as strenge, the recent comment by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Alooma Mukhtar, that incessant overseas trips by judges were a contributory factor negating judges’ performance.

Gulf of Guinea Oil Exploration Limited (GGOEX) is to invest N172.7billion ($1.1 billion) in the construction of a new methanol facility in the Niger Delta.

A total of 184,543 children aged five years and below were immunised against the wild polio virus in Ogun state between January and December 2012.

ABAVO community in Ika South Local Government of Delta State, has threatened to stop Pan Ocean Oil Corporation from operating in the area, if it relocates its flow station from Obiayima- Abavo, where oil was discovered.

President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Sani Ndanusa has charged the Super Eagles to go for victory in tomorrow’s AFCON semifinal match against Mali in Durban.

…Makes C of O mandatory in Imo State
Barely one year to the celebration of Nigeria’s centenary as a nation, the Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has challenged estate surveyors and valuers in the country to partner with state governments to build centenary cities in each of the 36 states in the country.

Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Monday, faulted the recently released audit report of the Nigerian Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative, NEITI, saying the report is inaccurate, misleading and will misinform the public about the true situation of things.