Nigeria Content Online

South African maize
farmers are going to suffer as long as there are only limited markets,
for the country’s grain and maize prices lie below the costs of
production, an industry official said on Tuesday.

Jane McPherson,
manager of farmer development of industry group, Grain SA, said low
prices and higher input costs would hurt farmers’ ability to service
debts and re-invest.

“We need to be able to expand our market for grains. The farmers
cannot afford to borrow because the price of producing is too high,”
she told an Agribusiness Investment Summit in Durban.

Nigeria hopes to
launch a planned $500 million debut global bond by the end of November
and has selected a consortium of international and local legal and
financial advisers, the Debt Management Office said on Tuesday.

“(The issue will come) most probably before the end of November. We
have already … selected a consortium of international and local
advisers,” DMO director general, Abraham Nwankwo, told Reuters.

The Independent
Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) said
yesterday that it ill organise conferences in the six geo-political
zones to ensure the success of its anti-corruption crusade.

The Chairman of the
Commission, Emmanuel Ayoola, represented by Uriah Angulu, said this in
Abuja at a news conference organised by the commission and the National
Assembly Committee on Anti-Corruption.

The conference is expected to hold in Ogun, Nasarawa, Gombe, Kebbi, Rivers and Anambra states.

is “The Imperative
of Self Transformation and Knowledge Acquisition in the Fight against
Corruption.” Mr. Ayoola said the conference which began in 2006, was
aimed at building and promoting the culture of integrity, transparency
and accountability in the conduct of government business.

Nigeria and South
Africa have reiterated their commitment to the strengthening of their
bi-national commission to include the promotion of ‘person-to-person
relations’.

The News Agency of
Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two countries recently celebrated the
10th year anniversary of the bi-national commission.

The South African
Ambassador to Nigeria, Kingsley Mamabolo, made the pledge on behalf of
his government in Abuja on Tuesday when he visited the Minister of
Interior, Emmanuel Iheanacho.

He stressed the
need to foster person-to-person relations between nationals of both
countries to promote socio-economic development.

The latest Corolla
from Toyota does more than generally getting the job done. It is
meticulously built to provide users the extra mile. The new king of
smooth ride for 2010 comes packed with newer technologies and design,
capable of leaving riders breathless.

Ever since the
Corolla’s debut in 1966, it has showcased consistency in high standard
and this is what the 2010 Toyota Corolla offers.

Design

The new car is
showcased in five trim levels of the base, LE, S XLE and XRS Model. The
XRS is the highest model range among all types and comes with a larger
engine compared to other models. It also steps with 17-inch alloy
wheels for good balance and speed and is mainly distinguished from
other models with its steering cruise control, rear deck spoilers, and
chrome trims.

The XLE model
stands a step before the XRS model. It comes with 16 inch wheels. Other
minor abilities it packs are variable intermittent wipers, keyless
entry, centre armrest. The Base Corolla model comes standard with
15-inch wheels.

Other enjoyable
qualities riders get to derive from the car are solid sound system with
satellite radio and Bluetooth connectivity, power windows, telescopic
steering wheels, and Navigation system for location finding. Its
control layout is intuitive.

Inside the latest
Corolla is plenty of space to conveniently seat five adults with driver
inclusive. It is built with a double glove box which increases its
storage capacity in front.

Engine Power

Apart from the XRS
Model whose engine built comes with a 2.4 litre four cylinder packs and
an output of 158 horsepower of 162 Ib-ft of torque. Other models are
built with a 1.8 litre four cylinder engine rated with output of 132
horsepower and 128 pound feet of torque.

The engine is fully
integrated with a standard five-speed manual transmission and an
optional four speed automatic. The XRS model muscles up with both five
speed manual and automatic transmission.

The 1.8 litre
engine of the Corolla covers 0-60 mph in 10 seconds, while XRS model
with 2.4 litre engine covers 0-60 mph in 9.1 seconds.

Safety

The 2010 Corolla is
built with standard safety features like antilock brakes, stability
control, front-seat side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags and
active front head restraints. The XRS model features four-wheel disc
brake while other Corollas have rear drums.

Price

Prices vary
according to models. The Corolla standard goes for $15,450 (about N2.3
million)The LE goes for $16,850 (about N2.5 million) XLE goes $17,750
(about N2.66 million) while the S model and XRS model goes for $16,520
(about N2.48 million) and $18,960 (about N2.8 million).

Copperbelt Energy
Corporation (CEC), Zambia’s main distributor of power to the country’s
mines, has approved the construction of a 40 megawatt hydropower plant
following the completion of a feasibility study, the company said on
Tuesday.

“The final report
has recommended that the project is viable and 40 MW of capacity is
recommended. The detailed site design, tendering and financing process
for the project has commenced,” it said in a statement.

Regular power
outages, partly due to ageing equipment in Zambia, which has had no
major investments to raise power generation for decades, has forced it
to import power from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The power generation project is expected to be commissioned by 2015, the CEC said.

Kenya’s
year-on-year inflation rate slowed to 3.2 percent in August from 3.6
percent the previous month, helped by a dive in telecoms costs, the
government’s statistics office said on Tuesday.

The communications
index, which makes up 3.82 percent of the basket of goods used to
measure inflation, fell by 23.5 percent when compared with July, and by
24.1 percent when compared with August 2009.

“The communications’ index declined … on account of significant
falls in the cost of airtime in addition to continued decline in the
cost of handsets,” Kenya National Bureau of Statistics said in a
statement.