Militants in the Niger Delta say they would only participate in the proposed Niger Delta summit if the Federal Government promises to implement its outcome.

In many of Africa's towns and villages, smoky kerosene lamps are all that keeps the darkness at bay after sunset. However, kerosene is a dangerous and increasingly expensive source of light for Africans who do not have access to electricity -- about three-quarters of those living on the continent, according to the World Bank.

Mozambique's Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources, Abdul Razak, on Friday reiterated the government's commitment to join the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), and outlined the steps it will take during the rest of this year to set up its EITI participation.

Mozambican President Armando Guebuza warned in Santiago on Thursday that the negative impact of the recent sharp rises in the world market prices of oil and of grain makes it imperative to find a solution rapidly.

ENERY Minister Daudi Migereko has said that the current fuel shortage occasioned by the break-down of a supply ship early in the week will by Sunday be no more, as the major oil companies have all loaded fresh supplies at Mombasa destined for Kampala.

The leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Mr Henry Okah, has appealed the ruling of the Federal High Court in Jos presided over by Justice Stephen Adah, declaring that the lower court's ruling was delivered against the weight of argument made before it.

AS SOME of the mining companies report, the terrible truth is becoming clear: the electricity outages hit sentiment more than they hit production. Both Lonmin yesterday, and AngloGold-Ashanti the day before, announced production figures higher than expectations. Profits of both companies jumped, and were outside the market's expectations, resulting in two consecutive large share price jumps.

Kenyans should start preparing to pay more for petroleum products before the end of the year.

Diesel fuel shortages that started to escalate in the latter part of this week are expected to ease considerably with supplies coming into the country this weekend, the Energy Ministry said Friday.

Operations at the Mombasa Law Courts were disrupted by power blackouts forcing some judges to adjourn cases.

THE Zambezi River Authority (ZARA) plans to install new turbine water flow metering equipment at the Kariba Dam where the Kariba North and South power plants are located.

Oil giants Royal Dutch Shell has said that as long as militants continue to attack its facilities and the situation goes unresolved, gas flaring will continue in the country. Because of the insecurity in the oil rich Niger Delta region, Shell said it can no longer meet the 2008 deadline to end gas- flaring.

DELTA State House of Assembly Adhoc Committee probing the activities of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Commission (DESOPADEC) has submitted its report recommending the decentralisation of the Commission's operations by setting up area offices for the purpose of bringing the Commission closer to the grassroots.

Mozambique , will today reduce electricity supplies to Zimbabwe by 100 megawatts to pave way for maintenance work at its giant Cahora Bassa power station.

Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has asked the Federal Government to check the indiscriminate importation of E-10 fuel grade ethanol into the country, by channeling its procurement via local ethanol manufacturers, instead of direct importation from Brazil.

AFROX, SA's biggest supplier of liquefied petroleum (LP) gas, has bought extra gas cylinders in anticipation of a surge in demand this winter and to avert another shortage .

Two brothers from Mabvuku were on Wednesday afternoon electrocuted when they stepped on a live Zesa cable while walking along a footpath in the suburb.

MPs will hold an informal meeting of the Speaker to deliberate over the progress of rural electrification.

THE Nigerian foreign mission in the United States of America has claimed ignorance of the ongoing restructuring exercise in the oil and gas industry, adding that this has made it impossible for staff to answer queries from prospective investors.

THE Uganda Electricity Transmission Company (UETCL) has applied to the Uganda Communications Commission to lease out part of its fibre optic infrastructure.

Former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar yesterday said he would honour the invitation of the House of Representatives probing the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP).

THE Niger Delta Peace Parley jointly organised by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) ended yesterday in Port Harcourt with a call on the National Assembly to review laws regulating the oil/gas sector as well as land use.

Botswana last week banned the export of bulk fuel to Zimbabwe, in a move seen as welcome regional pressure on Mugabe's regime, to respect the will of the people.

Only in extreme and emergency cases would there be load-shedding in the cold winter months, says Minister of Public Enterprises Alec Erwin.

SA 's ELECTRICITY exports increased 6,1% in the three months to March this year, compared with the same period last year, according to Statistics SA.