News Desk Wednesday, June 20, 2007

FG, States, LGs Share N266.5bn Allocation

THE federal, states and the 774 local government councils are to share N266.56 billion among themselves. At the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting held Tuesday in Abuja, N241.689 billion statutory allocation and N24.880 Value Added Tax (VAT) were shared for the month of May. MORE>>

Labour Rejects FGs Concessions

Despite government’s concessions to reduce the price of petrol to N70 per litre, from the N75 earlier announced by former President Olusegun Obasanjo as well as reversal of Value Added Tax (VAT) rate to five percent, from 10 percent, the organized labour and civil society coalition say on Tuesday there is no going back on strike. MORE>>

Diplomats Want U.S. Marines to Quit Nigeria's Coastal Waters

DIPLOMATS and international relations scholars yesterday took a swipe at the United States (U.S.) over the presence of its marines in Nigerian coastal waters. They described it as a threat to the nation's security. The diplomats at a round-table discussion on the idea of a continental government for Africa ahead of July 2007 conference in Ghana, held at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, (NIIA) Victoria Island, Lagos yesterday, dismissed a statement credited to the Chief of Naval Staff over the matter, warning that a repeat of the Kuwaiti experience may be imminent in Nigeria. MORE>>

...International Flights Cancelled

Scarcity of petroleum products occasioned by the planned industrial action has prompted international carriers to abort flights into Lagos and other parts of the country. THISDAY learnt yesterday that flights that were billed to arrive today from London and other European cities were cancelled because the airlines would not be able to source aviation fuel, popularly known as JET A1, when they arrive. MORE>>

Robbers Lay Siege on Imo Communities

OWERRI— INDIGENES of Mgbidi, Otulu, Amiri and some other communities in Oru East and West local government areas of Imo State are now living in fear as armed robbers have overrun their communities, intimidating, harassing, stealing and raping women at will. MORE>>