BENIN—WORKERS at the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, Ughelli Pumping Stations, UPS and OML 30, yesterday, protested at the Benin, Edo State premises of the company, demanding he disengagement of some of the contractors in charge of the flow stations due to their inability to pay their salaries and allowances as at when due.

Nigerian athletes to the IAAF world championships, made an unceremonious return to the country yesterday with the hope of winning at the All Africa Games, to make up for the disappointment of not clinching any medal at the Bird’s Nest Stadium in Beijing, China.

THREE persons were feared dead and about twenty others wounded on Sunday when members of a new pro- Biafra group, the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) and security operatives engaged in a shootout in Onitsha.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, has insisted that he will not back down on his claim that the Jonathan administration expended N140 billion on the yet to be completed 2nd Niger Bridge in Anambra State.

UGHELLI—MORE oil producing communities in Delta State, have continued to react to the recently constituted Governing Board of Delta State Oil Producing Area Development Commission, DESOPADEC, with threats to shut oil facilities in their domains.

Lagos State Government yesterday turned down Nigeria Football Federation plans to host Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast Africa Cup of Nations qualifier to be played at the Thunder Teslim Balogun Stadium on September 6.

LAST week, most university students returned to class for the commencement of the new academic year. Usually, the first week of class is a dreaded moment for university administrators at various levels, but most especially the department student advisers.

Counsel to Senator Smart Adeyemi, Dr. J. O. Olatoke, has prayed the National Assembly and Legislative Houses Election Tribunal, led by Justice Akon Ikpeme handling the case between the former and Senator Dino Melaye to give accelerated hearing to their petition in obedience to the judgement of the Appeal Court, which ordered for a re-trial.

Athletes who participated in the two week Athletics Holiday Camping and Training programme sponsored by MPN, Operator of the NNPC/MPN Joint Venture have pleaded for a continuation of the programme that has impacted so much on their aspirations as top athletes.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, yesterday, in Benin City, advised employers and organised labour to strategise and come up with a common agenda to be presented to President Muhammadu Buhari towards reviving closed factories and sustain existing ones for jobs and wealth creation.

The crash of a Dornier 228 light Air Force plane at the Ribadu Military Cantonments Kaduna on Saturday is one of the latest tragedies to befall the nation. It occurred 17 days after a helicopter belonging to Bristow Helicopters crashed into the Lagos Lagoon, killing seven of the 12 persons on board. In-between, the lives of several Nigerians have been cut short through fatal road crashes and bombings carried out by the murderous Islamic militants, Boko Haram, in the North East.

Akure—WORKERS in the Ondo State Board of Internal Revenue, BIR, yesterday rejected the planned competency test organised by the board. The workers under the aegis of Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, JNC, directed its members not to show up for the test which would have started today. The rejection was one of the resolutions of the meeting of the leadership of JNC held in Akure where the welfare of workers in the state workforce were discussed.

Bauchi State government has said the appointment of Secretary to the State government (SSG,, Alhaji Suleiman, as the Emir of Misau followed due process.

Osogbo—Osun State House of Assembly, yesterday harped on the need to block all avenues through which resources are wasted to ensure steady growth for the state. The lawmakers disclosed this while reviewing the last 24 years of the state’s existence at a special session held to mark 24th anniversary of its creation.

Succour has come the way of the Agege residents in Lagos as Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa is set to build a resource centre in the community with the focus of training and empowering youth and women so as to live a better life in the state.