The weather was windy and cloudy; humidity and visibility became bad. It could be a sign of heavy rainfall. Those who saw the signs embarked on a last minute rush to get to their destinations.

WITH the withdrawal of Colombian ex-finance minister, Jose Antonio Ocampo, from the World Bank Presidency race last Friday, the die is now cast between Dr. Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria and Jim Yong Kim, a Korean-American.

In this interview, the Acting High Commissioner of Pakistan in Nigeria, Ahmed Ali Sirohey, explains what Nigeria stands to benefit from his country in the area of food sufficiency and infrastructure. On the very important issue of terrorism, Sirohey says dialogue alone will not solve the problem. He draws from his country’s approach to tackling a similar problem. Excerpts:

The serene riverside settlement of Kaiama, the cradle of Ijaw struggle for equity and justice within the Nigerian federation and hometown of the late Major Isaac Adaka Boro, came alive penultimate Saturday as Bayelsans from all walks of life converged on the sleepy town in solidarity with the people of Kolokuma-Opokuma clan who rolled out the drums and red carpet to honour one of their own, the former Presidential Adviser on Niger Delta Affairs, Mr Timi Alaibe.

DR. Adekoyejo Moses Majekodunmi who died at 86 years on Wednesday was a Senator and Minister of Health in Nigerian First Republic.

THE Health Writers Association of Nigeria, HEWAN, has condemned the action of the Medical Guild in embarking on yet another industrial action at the expense of patients barely a year after they suspended one.

AS the strike called by the Medical Guild, doctors under employment of Lagos State Government enters its third day; the State government has offered to pick up the bills of patients referred from its hospitals to private hospitals.

MEDICAL services in government owned health institutions in Lagos were grounded, yesterday, as the Medical Guild, umbrella body of doctors in Lagos State, made good its threat to call out its members on a three-day warning strike over irreconcilable issues with the state government. The strike is to press home demands for the Consolidated Medical Salary Scale, CONMESS, and downward review of alleged excessive taxation.

IT is a building made of modern blocks in Kanwuri area of ancient Gusau town, the capital city of Zamfara State. Close to Emir of Gusau’s palace and the main central mosque is the family house of Inspector General of Police, MD Abubakar.

Mr. Ugochukwu Emezue is the Chief Press Secretary to the Abia State Governor. He spoke recently to journalists in Umuahia on some of the activities of the State government especially on its efforts to transforming the infrastructural decay in Aba and other parts of the state. Below are excerpts;

Ajoke, 35 a widow and mother of three young girls sat on her bed, sobbing while packing her belongings away from the flood. Occasionally, when her eyes met that of her three daughters who did not know whether to console their mum or help quickly in removing their belongings from the water to avert further damage.

Natural disasters occur without notice and can happen at anytime like sudden lengthy downpour of rain leading to flooding and displacing of families from their homes.

In Tsaro village in Sokoto, flooding has rendered useless houses which hitherto belonged to the villagers. The houses were destroyed; their farmlands were completely submerged and washed away by intermitent flooding of the village. The living condition is now dreadful.

ABUJA, the Federal Capital Territory has certainly come of age. Established on February 3, 1976, the Territory serves as reachable centre from all parts of Nigeria.

PETROLEUM Tanker Drivers, PTD, branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, has said that Nigerians will for now continue to tolerate the tanker drivers, especially on the ever-busy Apapa Oshodi Expressway until the government provides enough parking space for the tankers.