We Won't Bribe Citizens Again - Siemens

Top officials of Siemens, the German telecommunications firm, blacklisted for corruption in Nigeria, yesterday visited President Umaru Musa Yar'adua in Abuja, pleading that the company would eschew corruption in its future business dealings in the country.

Siemens was blacklisted by the Federal Government sequel to its indictment by a German court which also fined the company 201million euros, for bribing Nigerian, Russian, and Libyan government officials to secure juicy telecommunications contracts.

Yar'Adua Halts Dollar Payments to States

President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua has directed the Ministry of Finance to stop the proposed Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) policy of paying states' allocation in US dollars.

THISDAY has learnt that a letter to this effect was dispatched to the Finance Ministry last Friday.

Embrace rule of law: Nigerian President urges African leaders

Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua declared Friday in Add is Ababa, Ethiopia, real economic development and prosperity would continue to e l ude African nations unless their leaders took urgent action to overcome the recurring problem of political instability, according to a statement released here Saturday.

President Yar'Adua therefore called on African Heads of State and Government to embrace true democracy, good governance and the rule of law, which he identified as essential ingredients for political stability on the continent.