THE announcement that the Solid Minerals Ministry is proposing tax holidays for investors in the solid minerals sector is not only a step in the right direction, it is also long overdue. In fact, the measure should be extended to other sectors such as the agro-allied areas where rapid growth will generate investment, especially foreign investment and induce job creation.

CASES of Nigerians languishing in prisons abroad are on the increase. Latest statistics revealed about 170,000 Nigerian citizens are rotting away in jails all over the world.

CASES of Nigerians languishing in prisons abroad are on the increase. Latest statistics revealed about 170,000 Nigerian citizens are rotting away in jails all over the world.

THE announcement early last month by the Federal Minister of Finance that only N350 billion had so far been released to Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, for capital expenditure is a matter of great concern to us and should, indeed, be to all Nigerians.

WE are baffled that Amnesty International, AI, a highly reputable international human rights watchdog, has continued to pass up golden opportunities to present proofs of its serial accusations of human rights abuses against the Nigerian military.

The debate on whether radiations from telecommunication masts are dangerous to human health was recently rekindled by the National Environmental Standard, Regulatory and Enforcement Agency, NESREA, Director General, Dr Lawence Anukam. In a television interview, he had, while citing a World Health Organisation, WHO, report cautioned against unregulated siting of telecoms masts in residential areas and warned against undue human exposure to them.

WHEN the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, announced that the Gross Domestic Product, GDP, grew by a mere 0.55 per cent in the Second Quarter (Q2) of this year, after declining by -0.91 per cent in the First Quarter (Q1), Nigeria’s official score-keeper revealed one unpleasant fact which many of us missed.

ON the front burner of West African regional politics now is the quest for Morocco’s membership of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, the only intergovernmental institution formed to foster unity and cohesion among Africa’s West coast nations.

IT is time that governments at all levels, including the law enforcement and non-statutory vigilante organisations, took more than a passing interest in the rash of “job opportunities” being advertised at prominent junctions, crossroads and pasted on walls and bridges, especially in major urban centres throughout the federation.

OUR supreme law, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended) guarantees every person freedom of speech. Section 39 (1) states: “Every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference”.