A FEW years ago, discussions about international soccer would in no meaningful or convincing way include the United States. But, not anymore. Today, only someone who is both blind and deaf or simply unconcerned about what goes on in soccer circles will pretend that the United States is not a factor to watch.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, yesterday, defied the directive by the Senate to abolish the Fixed Charges, FC, introduced by the commission, noting that there is nothing illegal about the charges.

THERE is a saying in the Yoruba country that the sound of rain shortly after the utterance of a cleric fortifies his belief that the heavens validate his assertion. As this column was hitting the print last Tuesday, South African President Jacob Zuma was in the news doing what black people are famous for – blaming others for their failures.

President of Nigeria Institute of Welding, Dr. Solomon Edebiri, has warned that the attainment of vision 20-2020 by the Federal Government will be a mirage if the country fails to develop its steel industry, welding and fabrication capacities.

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State yesterday pledged to embark on local government reforms with the aim of making the 57 local governments and local council development areas more responsive to the needs of the people.

Uvwie people under the auspices of Concerned Uvwie Political Patriots, CUPP, yesterday, asked the Delta State House of Assembly to immediately retrace its steps and toe the path of reason by reversing the suspension order on the council Chairman, Mr Henry Baro with minimum delay in the interest of equity, fair play and natural justice.

MR Omordi George Ugbomah was a Commissioner for Environment and Works in Delta State. In this interview, he bares his mind on the proposed amendment bill by the Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa over the 2006 DESOPADEC Law.

LET us play a little catch up. Cast our minds back to may, 1999. Olusegun Obasanjo has just been sworn in as president of a new democratic government, with the whole world hailing his coming.

MEDICAL activities at the Delta State University Teaching Hospital, DELSUTH, Oghara, Ethiope West Local Government Area of the state, have been crippled as doctors under the aegis of Association of Resident Doctors, ARD, began an indefinite industrial action over the poor state of insecurity within and around the hospital environment.

Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, yesterday dissociated its leadership and members of the Union from the purported protest on Friday by some Tally Clerks and On Board Security men at the Marina Headquarters of Nigeria Ports Authority, NPA, over unpaid wages.