IBADAN—Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has expressed disappointment over the failure of the federal government to release the promised N1.3 trillion NEEDS intervention fund.

The Debt Management Office (DMO) has recommended a maximum of USD12.4 billion total borrowing (domestic and external) for Federal Government in 2015. This would amount to N2.5 trillion addition to the existing N7.9 trillion outstanding debt as at end 2014, bringing the total indebtedness to about N10.4 trillion.

STEVEN GERRARD said he takes full responsibility for Liverpool’s loss to Manchester United after being sent off in just 41 seconds during Sunday’s English Premier League game against Manchester United.

OSOGBO—All Progressives Congress, APC, in Osun State has debunked the rumour making the rounds that the state governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, was planning a massive retrenchment of senior civil servants on grade level 12 and above, including other workers above the age of 50 from the state’s employment after the general elections.

The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has said that a 9 percent decline from $2.970 billion to 2.714 billion was recorded in the country’s non-oil export between 2013 and 2014. Meanwhile, with the dwindling oil revenue coupled with the quest to increase the basket of exportable products from Nigeria, the council has concluded plans to launch the One State One Product (OSOP) initiative targeted at developing and promoting one product for export per state.

The Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria, OAAN, said its going to North Dakota State University, NDSU, for a capacity-building training programs to acquire more skill..
The program according to the association starts with the Executive Education Workshop Focusing on the theme: “The Art and Science of Outdoor Advertising in the Age of Digital Media.”
The five-days training will hold from April 12 to 17, at the Department of Communication of the University.
The resource persons are drawn from other American Universities and the field of American Professional Outdoor Advertising Practitioners.
Dr. Mark Meister, Professor and Chair of NDSU’s Department of Communication said his team is excited about the opportunity to collaborate with OAAN in co-hosting this special Training Program, which demonstrates the University’s commitment to serving its publics, locally and internationally.

The Nigerian Communications Commission has given Nigerian tennis a big shot in the arm with the announcement at the weekend of a team tennis championship that would offer a total prize money of N11 million with the winning team getting N5 million.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes Chelsea have too much security at the top of the Premier League for his side to be in the race for title.

ENUGU — With five days to the presidential election, fresh indications emerged, yesterday, that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan, may have lost ground for a bloc vote in the South East geo-political zone.

FACTIONAL President of Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, and the National Administrative Council of the Congress, NAC, have alleged that evidences were emerging that former NLC President, Abdulwaheed Omar, colluded with agencies of state to ensure the emergence of Ayuba as president at all costs against the will of majority of workers.