ALTHOUGH, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State has never hidden his feeling that removal of fuel subsidy was long overdue, when it eventually came, he did not hesitate to put palliatives measures in place in his State.

BRIEFING State House correspondents after the weekly Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan, Mr Labaran Maku, Minister of Information, who was joined by Zainab Ibrahim Kuchi, Minister of State, Niger Delta Affairs said those who designed the initial project failed to take into account the difficult terrain of the region and that for the project to meet the required standard, government had to review the entire road structure.

VISA processing and issuance procedures have become a major source of capital flight as Nigeria loses N3.6 billion through a web of criminal conspiracy between officials of government, embassy staff and consular officers of some embassies on one hand; desperate intending travellers and agents, their agents and proxies, making the West African country the most lucrative consular operating centre in the world.

In continuation of the budget defence by ministries, parastatals and agencies of government, the Senate, again, on Tuesday, suspended plenary to enable the 56 standing committees concentrate and carry out a thorough scrutiny of budget estimates.

Call it a month of unusual events, one definitely would not be mistaken. Liken it to an interesting football match that is characterized with boot-kicking and back stabbing; one would not be out of place. Until a few days ago, the month of January 2012 passes for a month that parades an array of activities which again, shot the country onto local and foreign scenes.