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Tag: Anambra State

  • YPP ward chairman shot dead in Anambra

    YPP ward chairman shot dead in Anambra

    By Ovat Abeng

    The Chairman of Nanka ward 1 of the Young Progressive Party (YPP) in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Chief Joe Mohale, has been shot dead.

    According to eyewitness, Chief Mohale was killed by political thugs on Saturday night after organizing a meeting between the member representing Orumba North and South in the Federal House of Representatives, Hon Princess Chinwe Nnabuife and her Nanka constituents.

    It was gathered that Hon Nnebiife was warned not to step into Nanka for the rerun election in some polling units in the community.

    Another sources in the area said the meeting was in respect of a recent Appeal Court ruling that ordered a re-run election between Nnabuife and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the Orumba North and South Federal Constituency in the 2023 general election, Okwudili Ezenwankwo.

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    The meeting was said to have been organised by the deceased for the House of Representatives member, Nnabuife, and members of the constituency.

    “The unidentified persons, who arrived in a Lexus 350 SUV, fired several shots into the air before fatally shooting Mohale at the village hall. They also kidnapped one person.

    “Nnabuife was threatened not to campaign in Nanka where the Appeal Court ordered for a rerun election. But on Saturday, she went to hold a meeting with YPP members in Nanka Ward 1.

    “The meeting was organised by Mohele. Immediately after Nnabuife left, some political thugs arrived at the venue in an SUV vehicle and opened fire on the ward chairman.”

    When contacted, the state chairman of YPP, Moses Obi, confirmed the development but said the details were still sketchy.

    “Yes, we have heard about it, but we don’t have the full details yet. We are preparing to reach the community and by the time we have all the full details, we will let you know,” Obi added.

    In his reaction when contacted, the State police spokesperson DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the command had not received any information regarding the incident.

    The PPRO, however, urged the affected persons to visit the nearest police station and lodge  a report about the incident, for further action.

  • House boy allegedly cuts off master’s manh00d for money ritual

    House boy allegedly cuts off master’s manh00d for money ritual

    By Ovat Abeng

    A young man identified as Chigozie Dike, a house boy has allegedly cut off the manh00d of his madam’s aged father, with the intention to use it for money ritual.

    A sources said the incident happened in Amaenyi, Awka, the Anambra State capital. The source added that the boy who is aged 20 has absconded, and has been declared wanted by the police.

    A source who availed the press of a video recording of members of the family in the house said the boy was barely a month old in the house before he killed the father of the woman who brought her to tend his father.

    A write up which accompanied the video read: “This boy by name Chigozie Dike is a houseboy, of 20yrs old. He came barely a month ago to stay and take care of his madam’s father at Amaenyi, Awka, Anambra state.

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    “Yesterday, 8th November 2023, when the madam left for his restaurant business, he put on their generator to avoid people hearing his evil plans, then took matchet and butchered the madam’s father including his manhood for ritual and ran away.

    “The Father has been rushed to Amaku Hospital, Awka. The boy is on the run now, anybody that sees him should kindly report to the nearest police station.”

    Attempts to get reaction from the Anambra State Police command spokesperson, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga failed as his mobile phone was still switched off at the time of filing this report.

  • Polio vaccination is free in Anambra, Health Commissioner announces

    Polio vaccination is free in Anambra, Health Commissioner announces

    By Ovat Abeng

    Anambra State Government will on Friday, flagged off its second phase of oral polio vaccination campaign as well as the outbreak response, targeting over 2.6 million children under the age of 0-59 months across the 21 LGAs of the state.

    The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Ben Obidike, while addressing a press conference at his office to commenced the exercise, informed the public that the vaccination is free of charge.

    The Commissioner called on nursing mothers and guardians to make their children and wards available for the free gesture at any Primary Healthcare facility nearest to them.

    Obidike said: “We are responding to the outbreak of Polio Virus in a neighbouring town, Nkanu West in Enugu state.

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    “We have not recorded any case in Anambra but the natural thing to do is to increase our vaccination to prevent the spread to the state.

    “Again, we want to encourage mothers and guardians to ensure their children and wards are vaccinated. It is a free, safe and effective oral vaccine; and there is nothing to worry about.

    “We have put in place quality assurance team in case of any complications and it will be handled appropriately.

    “We have also mobilised 660 fixed posts across the state and we hope to reach and vaccinate about 2.64 million children to reduce the risk of polio spread in the state.”

    We will go all out to Churches, Mosques, schools and the nook and crannies of the state to look for children and get them vaccinated.

    We also want to appeal to the media to help us informed the public about the exercise and other health achievements we have recorded so far in less than two years administration of governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo in the state.

    “He reiterated that the state government is doing this for free of charge.

    In her remarks, Mrs Chisom Uchem, Executive Secretary, Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ASPHCDA), said that the vaccination would start on Friday November. 10 and end on November 14  in all the local government areas of the state.

    According to ASPHCDA boss, the campaign will be monitored by Enhanced independent monitors and LQAS surveyors to ensure quality and coverage.”

    “The campaign was implemented by the Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ASPHCDA) in partnership with United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and SYDANI Initiative for International Development.

    Also speaking, Dr Adamu Abdul-Nasir, State Coordinator, WHO, appreciated the state government for its political will and proactive measures in preventing the polio virus from spreading to the state

    It was gathered that the programme themed: “KEEP POLIO AT ZERO,” will be officially flags off at Primary Health Centre (PHC) Umueze-Anam in Anambra West Local Government Area of Anambra State.

  • WHO Donates Sanitary Pads, Disinfectants To Support Anambra First Lady’s Pad Bank Initiative

    WHO Donates Sanitary Pads, Disinfectants To Support Anambra First Lady’s Pad Bank Initiative

    By Ovat Abeng

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has donated 300 packs of sanitary pads and 100 gallons of disinfectant in support of pad bank initiative recently launched by the wife of the Governor of Anambra State, Mrs Nonye Soludo.

    The Anambra State Director of WHO, Dr Abdulnasir Adamu who handed over the items to the healthy living team in Awka, noted that WHO shares interest in what the Anambra governor’s wife is doing in the areas of menstrual hygiene, health education and girl child support.

    Dr Adamu equally noted that the programme modules of Mrs Soludo’s NGO, Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo, fall within the working objectives of WHO for developing countries, including her commitment to nutrition, hygiene, mental health, mother and infant health and environmental reforms.

    The WHO chief who promised that the organization will continue to provide development partnership with Anambra State on critical health areas, commended the governor’s wife for leading transformational crusade that has been felt across the state and beyond.

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    Receiving the donated items on behalf of the governor’s wife, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike described WHO as a progressive partner in the development of the state, and said that the items will be useful to the pad bank programme

    Mrs Soludo further noted that the major aim of the pad bank project is to address common sanitary hygiene problems and menstrual emergencies in schools, and to ensure that each school girl in Anambra State accomplishes her dreams without stigma or phobia.

    She maintained that the healthy living brand is committed to providing solutions, with an eye on changing wrong health habits and establishing healthy ones in all Anambra homes.

    The Healthy Living Pad Bank is a recent initiative of the governor’s wife NGO, that sponsors the provision of free sanitary pads at the beginning of each academic term in over 400 secondary schools where the healthy living school clubs are currently domiciled.

  • Anambra LGA’s boss bags electoral excellence, grassroot development award

    Anambra LGA’s boss bags electoral excellence, grassroot development award

    By Ovat Abeng

    The Transition Committee Chairman of Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State, Honourable Emmanuel Ikechukwu Nweke, has bagged electoral excellence and grassroot development award from FREENEWS Magazine, Published by Obev Industries Limited Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.

    While presenting the award to the Council Chairman at his office in Nteje, headquarters of Oyi LGA, on Wednesday, the Chairman, Editorial Board of FREENEWS Magazine, Mr Obinna Evaristus Mbonu, said that the award came as a result of the Chairman’s efforts to developed his rural domain in line with governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo vision of making Anambra a livable and prosperous state in Nigeria and also his ability to win the 2023 general election legislative seat that concern Oyi Council Area under the platform of the State ruling-All Progressive Grand Alliance APGA.

    According to Mbonu, “The award is in recognition of the massive rural development drives of Governor Chukuma Soludo in the provision of rural roads, rural health care facilities, construction and renovation of schools, agricultural interventions and the ongoing Youth Empowerment Programme in the council area and beyond.

    In his acceptance speech, the LGA boss, thanked the organisers of the award for recognising him, noting that the honour will spur him to do more for the people of Oyi Council Area.

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    “This award is an indication that my people are seeing what I and my administrative team are doing to ensure good governance in the area.

    “I appreciate the award. I will continue to do my best for the good all,” the Chairman added.

  • Ifeanyi Ubah to Soludo: You’ll do one term only as you did in CBN

    Ifeanyi Ubah to Soludo: You’ll do one term only as you did in CBN

    By Ovat Abeng

    Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah, has described the Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, as a one-term governor.

    Speaking through his media aide ,Chuks Kamen Ogbonna, Senator Ubah describes Soludo’s leadership in the State as lackluster.

    He said Anambrarians had already started shopping for Soludo’s replacement just less than two years into his administration.

    Ubah said, “It has become a thing of great concern to every reasonable Anambrarian that our dear Professor and one-term Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) cannot point to one completed road project almost two years into his tenure.”

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    He alleged that Soludo had not made any tangible attempt to curb the growing disenchantment with his governance style by introducing any groundbreaking reform(s).

    Ubah said ”He ( Soludo) has not made any concrete effort aimed at changing the existential quagmire that Anambra represents which renders the popular question by a former Governor of the State, Mr Peter Obi, still relevant and unanswered till date: “Is Anambra cursed, or are we the cause?

    “Secondly, Professor Soludo is a governor who came into office riding on the back of huge expectations from Ndi Anambra and Nigerians in general but the question is, has that transformed into any tangible results and which one of his electoral promises has he fulfilled almost two years into his tenure including the promise of conducting local government elections within six months of swearing in.

    “Prof Chukwuma Charles Soludo must have realised that he currently holds the record of being the first democratically elected Governor of Anambra whose would-be successor is already being actively discussed in almost every gathering in Anambra less than two years into his tenure which is the clearest exhibition that the people are already in search of a replacement having realized their error so soon in the day.

    “But is this reason enough for the state government to prefer running smear campaigns on the towering personality of the Distinguished Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Ubah, CON, when he can easily opt to adapt his widely acclaimed security solution in Nnewi, apply it to the entire state and take the accolades?

    “It is probably when the efficacy of the solicited prayers start working that it will finally dawn on the Erudite Professor (who believes he knows it all) that retaining and paying for the services of media attack dogs with government funds is a pure case of the Professor fiddling while his Rome burns.

    “Please spare a moment of prayer for Prof Soludo, the former one-term governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.”

  • My Father-in-Law Legacies Will Be Felt Across Generations, Soludo’s Wife Mourns

    My Father-in-Law Legacies Will Be Felt Across Generations, Soludo’s Wife Mourns

    By Ovat Abeng

    Anambra State first lady, Mrs Nonye Soludo has described the death of her father-in-law, late Pa Simeon Nwankwo Soludo, as a painful exit that will be remembered by many great memories.

    Mrs Soludo who stated this in a statement released in Awka, on Wednesday, explained that Pa Soludo was a man who was loved by many people because of his sense of community, understanding of peace and tolerance.

    She noted that her late father-in-law laid a legacy of love, and raised all his children with discipline and hard work.

    The governor’s wife who reminisced on her early matrimonial years, explained that her late father-in-law took her in as his own daughter, and was always reachable in times of difficulties.

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    She described the late Pa Soludo as a warrior whose life across over nine decades reflected bravery, statesmanship and ingenuity.

    Mrs Soludo further hailed Pa Soludo for his consciousness for communal peace, tradition and culture, a significant influence he bequeathed in his children.

    The late Pa Soludo, who is fondly known by his traditional title ‘Akukananwa’ died in the early hours of Monday, November 6, 2023 at the age of 92.

    Born on 11th November, 1931, Pa Soludo is survived by seven sons, eight daughters-in-law, including the Anambra Governor’s wife, Mrs Nonye Soludo, twenty grand-children and six great-grand children.

  • Automation of IGR processes have improved Anambra’s annual collections – Budget Commissioner

    Automation of IGR processes have improved Anambra’s annual collections – Budget Commissioner

    By Ovat Abeng

    The Anambra State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mrs Chiamaka Nnake, has revealed that the state government has automated the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) collection processes in the state, saying that the move has improved the state’s annual collections.

    Nnake made the revelation at a two-day Technical Session for the Development of Anambra State Open Government Partnership Second Action Plan (SAP 2) organised by the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning in Awka.

    Nnake said that when the administration of Prof. Chukwuma Soludo came on board, IGR collections in the state were done by third parties who remitted whatever they liked to the state coffers.

    The commissioner said that by that automation, the government has effectively plugged all the revenue leakage windows opened by the third parties; and that the improved revenue would be useful in the government’s development moves in the state.

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    “What it means is that the government does a straight on collection from its citizens instead of paying into the hands of individuals who then decide what to remit”, she said.

    The commissioner said that the idea of the OGP was to ensure transparency in governance and that SAP was a platform where the government and non-state actors cooperate on actions or initiatives that they could both partner and see to implementation.

    OGP’s Focal Person in the state, Ogochukwu Orji, said that the partnership was a multilateral initiative that focused on transparency, accountability and inclusiveness in governance.

    “Currently, what we are doing today is that we are having a technical session; stakeholder engagement for the development of the second state action plan. We had an action plan that ran from 2018 to 2020/2021.

    “So now, we are trying to develop a new one. There is a new government with new priorities. So, what the state government did was to call the non-state actors again, that these are the solution agenda; how do we partner with non-state actors to achieve that?

    “So now, we are trying to bring out commitments, thematic areas to achieve the goal of this current government”, she said.

    The Focal Person said that the first action plan performed fairly well despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic at the time.

    “I will say that the first action plan performed moderately because at some point COVID-19 affected it, but it performed well. But we are moving a couple of things from that action plan to the second one.

    “We don’t just want to say okay we are done with SAP 1, we want to develop the second one. What we are doing now is that we are moving some commitments from the old action plan into the new action plan because government is a continuum.

    “We’re not trying to discard the old one; we’ll continue implementing it”, she noted.

  • Soludo loses father at 92

    Soludo loses father at 92

    By Ovat Abeng

    Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has lost his father, Pa Simeon Nwankwo Soludo.

    He died in the early hours of Monday 6, November, 2023.

    Pa Soludo is survived by seven sons, eight daughters-in-law, twenty-two grand-children and six great-grand children.

    Governor Soludo noted that his late father lived a fulfilled life and died at the ripe age of ninety-two years (92).

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    Further information will be communicated to the public in due course.

    The information was contained in press statement signed and made available to Journalists in Awka.

  • Appeal Court affirms Ifeanyi Ubah as winner of Anambra south Senatorial District election

    Appeal Court affirms Ifeanyi Ubah as winner of Anambra south Senatorial District election

    By Ovat Abeng

    The Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos on Friday, affirmed Senator Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah as the winner of the 2023 Anambra South Senatorial District Election.

    The court delivering judgement on the appeals filed by the Candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA),  Hon Chris Azubogu, Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chris Uba and Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) Obinna Uzor.

    The appellate court upheld the ruling of the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, Awka and dismissed the appeals filed by APGA, PDP and LP candidates for lack of merit.

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    With the Appeal Court ruling, all legal tussles on the 2023 Anambra South Senatorial Election have been brought to an end.