The circular stated, “In the continued effort to meet legitimate foreign exchange demand in the market, Authorised Dealers, Class ‘A’ Bureau de charge operators and the general public are hereby informed that with effect from the date of this circular, travellers on business trip who are entitled to BTA can no longer buy PTA while on the same trip and vice versa. Consequently, this circular supercedes the provisions of paragraph (ii) of the circular ref. No. TED/FEM/FPC/GEN/01/112 dated September 14, 2007. Please ensure compliance failing which appropriate sanctions shall apply.”

“We want to assure you CP that this is a state that does not tolerate security outfits that are not officially recognized in the Nigerian Constitution. If those groups are bringing up their heads, we shall assist you to ensure that they are wiped out. We do not tolerate it , we do not have the Bakassi or whatever name they are called, we will not allow them to spring up in this state”, he added.

Okpokpong, who spoke at the fifth graduation ceremony of 200 unemployed youths trained in the skills aquisition training programme of Total Exploration and Production, Nigeria at Uyo, said the oil firm’s valued tradition of corporate social responsibility was positively impacting on the troubled lives of unemployed youths.

By Chidi Nkwopara OWERRI—Imo State government has warned that it would deal decisively with any of its staff who sells any drug or insecticide treated mosquito nets donated to the state by non-governmental organisations, companies and international donor agencies.

By Tony Edike ENUGU—THE Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier-General Maharazu Tsiga, has blamed the evacuation of corps members from states in the Niger Delta region on the activities of militants.