Touts have taken over the streets of Owerri, Imo State capital, harassing and extorting money from unsuspecting citizens.

Participants at the ongoing 50th annual meeting of Africa Development Bank, AfDB, in Abidjan, have said the idea of an integrated and prosperous Africa would remain a pipe dream if African countries fail to open their borders to free movement of people, goods and service.

With barley 11 days to their FIFA Women World Cup group opener against Australia, Super Falcons coach, Edwin Okon has stated that his wards will not have any fear of the big teams in group D tagged the ‘group of death’.

THE 119,000 beneficiaries of the Community Services for Women and Youths Empowerment Project CSWYEP, a branch of the SURE-P, have vowed to embark on a mass protest tomorrow, due to failure by the Federal Government to pay their February, March,April and May salaries.

Bayelsa State Government, yesterday said it had uncovered plans by ‘some evil-minded’ elements to truncate the prevailing peace in the state by unleashing terror on the law abiding people of the state to achieve political gains.

African countries have been asked to look within to mobilise resources for development because the resources are available.

RECENTLY the Nigerian Export-Import Bank, NEXIM Bank, embarked on a deliberate programme of building partnerships designed to deliver value to its stakeholders and target public as the Nigeria’s sole Government Trade Policy Bank. This development has been applauded by both players and watchers in the Nigerian SMEs, especially those operating in the manufacturing, agro-processing, solid minerals and services sectors.

Insurance is a business that is done with a large number of people. One of the things we have been accused of in Nigeria is not reaching large number of Nigerians. You grow penetration by selling insurance products to a larger number of people. Nigeria has a population of over 175 million people and where local insurers look at it that the Nigerian market is tough, foreign investors see opportunity in Nigeria because they look at the large population.

Barring any last minute change, Lagos State governor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, will be the Special Guest of Honour at the Spirit of Lagos-organised Citizens Day award ceremony which holds today at the Exhibition Hall, Eko Hotel & Suites, Lagos. A statement by the Spirit of Lagos Project Director Olaniyi Omotoso, said the event is part of ongoing Spirit of Lagos activities to encourage Lagos residents to restore, share and protect those values that made Lagos great.

The Dangote Foundation has so far spent about N4.2 billion on its philanthropic works supporting the Kano State government, the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of the foundation, Zouera Youssoufou has said.