lagos —Twenty-two vessels have been arrested by the Nigerian Navy for various act of illegality, ranging from oil bunkering and illegal entry into the nation’s waters within the last 12 months.

Among the ships arrested were: MT Onne, MT B Cupid, M Barge, MT Ortkoyi, MV Chijioke, MT I Hinosen, Tug Boat Alk, MT Ezi, MT Rockfish, MT Aegle and MV God Time.

Others are MV Aths Milandros, Barge Princess Sophie, MT St. Vanessa, MT Ina and MT Peyor.

Others are MV ATHS MILANDROS, BARGE PRINCESS SOPHIE, MT ST VANESSA, MT INA and MT PEYOR.

Also arrested were: a wooden boat, Light II, a wooden tugboat,   Oyah II and Tug Boat, Ramat II, among others.

One of the ships, MV Myre Seadivers, arrested by the Western Naval Command in October 2012 was discovered during search to be carrying assorted arms.

Its 15-man crew members,all Russians, according to spokesman for the Western Naval Command, Lieutenant Commander Jerry Omodara, would be handed over to the Police for prosecution.

Recently, the Ministry of Trade and Investment organised a two-day workshop for journalists covering the sector where the Minister, Olusegun Aganga, spoke on the ministry’s achievements in the last one year and some of its plans for 2013 and beyond. He specifically said that he intends to develop the automotive industry to reflect the success story recorded by South Africa in that area. BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE, FRANKLIN ALLI & NKIRUKA NNOROM were there and captured the interview for Vanguard

The last set of players arrived the Faro, Portugal camp of the national team early Sunday and some of them still find time to train with the rest of the squad same day as the bell tolls for the naming of the list of 23 players that will make the Afcon 2013 championship. The last two players to arrive camp were Villareal of Spain hitman, Ikechukwu Uche and Israeli based goalie, Austin Ejide.

Furthermore, we are already aware of the provisions of the 2013 budget. The totals are not much different from the aggregates for the last three to four years; which yielded 6.5-7.5% GDP growth. The Federal government itself had projected growth of 5-6% for the next year – figure which the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, IMF regard as ambitious.

Following the December 31, 2012 deadline given for the recapitalisaion of all Microfinance Banks (MFBs) operating in the country, operators have expressed hopef of a vibrant sub-sector in 2013.

The traditional ruler of Enugu Urban 1 autonomous community in Enugu North Local Government Area, Igwe Moses Nnamdi, has asked the state government to compel Enugu-Ngwo community to expunge chapter 5 of its constitution that tend to suggest that parts of his community was under the control of Enugu Ngwo.

Secretary to Anambra State Government, SSG, Mr. Oseloka Obaze, has said the court case against the state government on the conduct of local government election remained the major drawback against LG polls in the state.

TENSION is mounting in the once peaceful Ekwulobia in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, following alleged hijack of the N2 million donated by Governor Peter Obi to the town to enable presidents-general of the 178 communities in the state provide security and grade roads during the last Christmas season.

uspected armed robbers terrorizing North-West zone of the country raided three villages, killing at least seven people and wounding seven more in Zamfara State.

Sokoto State has retained its position as the poorest state in the country, with 81.2 per cent poverty rate, the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, has said.

In a report released on its website, the NBS stated that Sokoto remained the poorest state in the country, followed by Katsina just as Adamawa and Gombe States shared the same poverty rate of 74.2 per cent.

FOR over eight years, Mitt Romney fought assiduously to be President of white Americans. He put up a considerable amount of his personal resources into this ambition. He also spent over one billion dollars of other peoples’ money; far more than the annual budget of most Nigerian states.

Civil servants in the Federal Ministry of Power said that the challenges of poor budget management can be minimized by putting in place proper and timely budget planning and an effective budget implementation system.

STANDARD Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and other stakeholders in the Nigerian maritime industry have condemned the proposed Customs and Excise Management Act saying that “it is draconian”

The macroeconomic stability achieved in the year 2012 was largely attributable to the monetary policies of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the collaboration of the Financial Services Regulatory Coordinating Committee (FSRCC) toward implementing various reforms initiatives to boosting the financial industry.

The House of Representatives has denied that its refusal to appropriate funds for the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) for the 2013 fiscal year was tantamount to an act of vendetta against the Director-General of SEC, Ms Arunma Oteh.