The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Anambra State

  • Police nab two women for alleged theft

    TWO women have been arrested for allegedly stealing N400,000 from a woman at Nkwelle Ezunaka in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State.

    The suspects with their accomplices allegedly robbed their victim, Nwanye Philomina, after picking her around Nteje area of the town.

    The Nation gathered that the victim had ignorantly boarded a vehicle heading for Onitsha when she was attacked.

    A police source said the syndicate, who saw the money in the victim’s bag, suddenly stopped and requested she should come down, claiming they wanted to adjust her seat.

    “Oblivious of their plan, the victim came down and immediately the hoodlums sped off with her bag containing N400,000,” the source added.

    Confirming the incident, police spokesman Haruna Mohammed said the suspects were arrested by the patrol team attached to 3-3 Division.

    Read Also: Police to recruit 40,000 community policing officers

    He gave their names as Cynthia Agu, 20, and Mary Andrew, 20 both from Enugu State, as well as Collins Okoli, 33, and Friday Ebim, 41, both from Delta State.

    Mohammed said: “At about 2pm, Nwanye Philomina, aged 30, from Akwuzu, boarded a taxi at Nteje Boys High School bus stop in Oyi Local Government.

    “When the vehicle got to Nkwelle Ezunaka, the syndicate suddenly stopped and asked her to come down to enable them adjust the seat, but they sped off.

    “The victim immediately raised the alarm, which attracted the attention of some motorists, who pursued the suspects to Nkwelle community where a police patrol team attached to 3-3 Division intercepted and arrested them.”

    The spokesman said the suspects were nearly lynched by a mob, but for the quick intervention of the police.

    He added that the money was recovered, while the vehicle used in perpetrating the act was impounded.

    Mohammed said the suspects would be arraigned after investigations.

     

     

  • Anambra to tackle girl-child dropout rate

    Anambra State government has reiterated its commitment to tackling the high rate of girl-child dropout from schools.

    Commissioner for Basic Education, Prof Kate Omenugha, said this in Awka while hosting Women Information Network (WINET), a non-governmental organisation.

    She regretted that keeping girls in schools and teaching them sexual reproductive health rights had remained a huge challenge to the government.

    She said: “We have a huge challenge keeping the girls in schools and teaching them sexual reproductive health rights.

    “Plans are underway to tackle the high rate of girl-child dropout from schools because girl-child education is a project that is dear to Governor Willie Obiano,” she said.

    Omenugha said that a research titled “Girl-Child Education as an investment for Anambra State: Challenges and Way Forward”, was done by the ministry in 2016.

    “The study which focused on Ayamelum, Anambra East, Anambra West, Awka North and Ogbaru local governments was done in about 326 households.

    “It was discovered that the rate of girl-child drop out is high. When you listen to people talk about Anambra, you will think the challenge the state has is just boy-child dropout.

    “But our study has actually shown that we have high rate of girl-child dropout,” Omenugha added.

    While commending the group for its efforts, Omenugha urged them to collaborate with the government so that the project would be replicated in other communities and not just Ebenebe.

    The commissioner further revealed that the affected communities were mostly fishermen and farmers whose poverty indices were quite high.

    “There is this ‘agiri’ cultural practice that encourages promiscuity and exposes girls to marry at the age of 10, and teenage pregnancy.  Girls drop out from Primary Six and Junior Secondary School.

    “What we discovered informed the government’s decision of shifting the J.S 3 exams, so that the children do not stay at home for too long in order not to get into trouble,” she said.

    Omenugha said about 50 girls and 50 boys from the area would be moved into the boarding school system by September.

    “The idea is to take them away from their communities and keep them in boarding schools because nature and nurture help to transform a child.

    “There are also plans to build Teachers’ Quarters and move more teachers to these areas,” she said.

    Omenugha also suggested a partnership with the essay competition winner, Miss Veronica Nnalue, who she said, was very knowledgeable in sexual and reproductive health rights, to creative awareness among the girls.

    Earlier, Executive Director WINET, Mrs Miriam Menkiti, said the project with the theme “The right to be a girl”, was aimed at ending child marriage.

    She said: “The visit is to seek the commissioner’s permission to sensitise about 100 students in Ebenebe community on gender-Based violence and sexual reproductive and health rights.

    “A baseline survey by WINET in February 2017 to determine the practice of child and forced marriages in Ebenebe community revealed that a cultural practice known as “Tum num” is responsible for girl-child and forced marriages in the area.

    “The practice insists that an unmarried girl-child, no matter her age (10 – 17), who gets pregnant, must get married to the man who impregnated her or any other man that wants her as she is forbidden to have a baby while living with her parents.”

  • ‘Strikes, poor funding bane of tertiary education’

    Incessant strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and poor budgetary allocations to education by the Federal Government are  major concerns of university teachers in Anambra State.

    The first woman professor of Mass Communication in Nigeria, Stella Chinyere Okunna, and former Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (Unizik) in Awka, Prof Ilochi Okafor (SAN), expressed their concerns during the first International Conference by the Professor Ezenwa Ohaeto Resource Centre, held at the Chike Okoli Resource Centre at UNIZIK.

    The event also featured a book presentation entitled: On Justice, Equity and Dignity: Recreating ‘Womanbeing’ in Contemporary African Society , edited by Dr Ngozi Ezenwa-Ohaeto and Ijeoma Nwajiaku.

    Okunna, who has also served as the Anambra State Commissioner for Information and later Chief of Staff to former Governor Peter Obi, was the lead paper presenter.

    She said poor funding results in the degeneration of teaching facilities and incessant strikes by ASUU.

    Okunna said the government could improve teaching facilities in tertiary institutions by increasing both recurrent and capital expenditure.

    She said: “The Federal Government’s intervention to tertiary institutions in Nigeria is nothing to write home about.  The government at all levels must fund education properly if the economy must develop and move fast like the Asian Tigers.

    “Collapse in education standards and disruption of academic activities are the consequences of government interventions in education sector while adequate and proper funding as well as reorientation of the private sector to take interest in funding education are the only ways to rejuvenate education sector in Nigeria.”

    Okafor, who chaired the event, said there was enough money in Nigeria to fund education, but lamented that it was being mismanaged by politicians.

    The duo was not alone. They were supported by a Zimbabwean Profesor of History, Vongai Nyawo, who identified cultism and lack of adequate funding as two major threats in the education sector of Nigeria and other African countries.

    Convener of the event Dr Ngozi Ezenwa-Ohaeto said the conference was aimed at stimulating critical discourse among teachers in tertiary institutions.

    She informed that the core values of the resource centre was built around Ezenwa-Ohaeto, who won laurels and brought fame to Nigerian and African literature.

  • Foundation tackles suicide among youths

    An organisation, John Bosco Onunkwo Foundation has intervened in the rising cases of suicide among youths, appealing to them to refrain from taking their own lives. The organisation renowned for its humanitarian services across the country, organised a symposium for youths in Anambra State where they were made to understand that at the end of every dark tunnel, there is a silver lining. The programme, which was tagged the “New conversation” and organised  in collaboration with the state chapter of Good Governance Ambassadors of Nigeria, gave the platform to seasoned resource persons to educate youths on how to rediscover themselves and depend less on government to realise their dreams and aspirations.

    The theme of the symposium which was “Redeeming Our Youths To Rediscover Their Roots: A Capacity Building Interactive cum Initiative Forum “was an intervention to end the menace of suicidal, as it sought to address erratic thoughts and actions amongst youths which could lead them into committing suicide.

    Founder of JohnBosco Onunkwo Foundation and convener of the symposium, Chief JohnBosco Onunkwo, an accomplished Anambra-born oil and gas magnate based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, took time to explain to the youths that there was no reason youth should commit suicide when he or she can persevere to become a force to reckoned with as well as a reference point in history.

    Onunkwo, who spoke to the youngsters at Omar Event Centre Awka, told the story of how he rose from grass to glory as a youth who had to fend for himself most of the time. He emphasized that no guts, no glory; that there was need for youths to rediscover themselves and diversify into other spheres where they have comparative advantage.

    He said, “We have to tell the people that government cannot do everything. Time has come when the people should call themselves to a meeting and begin to think about what they can do within themselves and be able to stand. I believe in capacity building and I believe in the diversification agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari where he said that people should not only think of one source but should think about diversification. Diversification is a survival strategy.”

    He noted that youths should tap into their talents to get greener pastures. The business mogul equally stated that people perish for lack of knowledge and that the seminar has produced positive response, which will go long way to reduce suicide and other social vices. He pointed out that the symposium exposed youths to the dangers of suicide and why the idea of suicide should not be conceived in the first instance. That the whole essence of the interactive forum was for people to have hope in themselves as well as believe in themselves. He said it was the second edition of the New Conversation series where people were told to be less dependent on governments, politicians and others for their daily bread even as he noted that he has been in philanthropic services for more than fifteen years uplifting humanity. He however revealed that subsequent editions of the New Conversation series would be held before long, stressing that he would use the platform of the interactions with the youths to further encourage them to be innovative, inventive and resourceful to be able to attain economic independence while his foundation would provide the needed backing to those who discovered as well as explored other areas of comparative advantage to stand out amongst the crowd while making efforts also through John Bosco Onunkwo Foundation to disabuse as well as dissuade young people from attempting suicide or other vices detrimental to their dreams and aspirations and capable of putting them in perpetual jeopardy.

  • Man, 46, arrested for defiling teenage girls in Anambra

    46-year-old man, Charles Igwedibia, has been arrested for allegedly defiling a 12-year-old girl in Nkwelle village, Awkuzu in Oyi local government area of Anambra State.

    The suspect, popularly called Alagbon of Dusogu village in Awkuzu, reportedly had series of unlawful carnal knowledge of the victim between June and July this year.

    The Nation learnt that the suspect had also defiled another 12-year-old girl of same address within the same period.

    When contacted, the police spokesperson, Haruna Mohammed, confirmed the arrest.

    Read Also: Fake beggars arrested in Anambra

    He said all the victims were taken to Chira Hospital Awkuzu, where the medical doctor confirmed laceration of their hymens.

    He said, “Following intelligence report, police detectives attached to Oyi Division arrested one Charles Igwedibia, aka Alagbon, aged 46 years of Dusogu village, Awkuzu in Oyi LGA of Anambra State.

    “Suspect allegedly had series of unlawful carnal knowledge of a 12-year-old girl at Nkwelle village between June and July 2019.

    “Preliminary investigation also revealed that same suspect defiled another 12 years’ old girl of same address within that period.”

    He said the suspect would be charged to court after investigations were concluded.

     

     

  • Fake beggars arrested in Anambra

    A middle-aged woman, Mrs. Uju Obiekwe has been arrested by officials of the Anambra State Government for allegedly using persons with fake ailment to beg for alms.

    The suspect and her accomplices were apprehended at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University junction, Awka, where they used a young girl with a bandaged stomach to beg for alms from unsuspecting members of the public.

    The widow, operating under a group called, the Rescue Helpers People Foundation Incorporation, located in Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area of the state, confessed to joining the group following the demise of her husband.

    “I joined the syndicate after the death of my husband. They pay me N1,500 daily,” she said.

    Read Also: Anambra rids Nnewi of beggars

    Parading the suspects in her office in Awka, the Commissioner for Women and Children Affairs, Lady Ndidi Mezue reiterated the ministry’s readiness to rid the state of mentally challenged people and beggars.

    She regretted that most of the beggars were from neighbouring states, warning that nobody had any reason to beg.

    Mezue further revealed that her Ministry had empowered several persons in collaboration with the Caring Family Enhancement Initiative of the Wife of the Governor.

    “We have trained people who are unemployed at the various  Skill Acquisition Centres, after which they were empowered,” she added.

  • Man gunned down over girlfriend rivalry in Anambra

    A 24-year old man, Chinedu Okoye, was on Friday killed by two men over disagreements on his girlfriend in Umuru village, Ogidi in the Idemili North local government area of Anambra State.

    The prime suspect, Dubem Okeke (28)was said to be interested in the girl, one Ifenyichukwu Kamsisichukwu, whom the deceased was also in love with.

    The Nation gathered Dubem, reportedly conspired with his accomplice, Okechukwu Okafor to eliminate the deceased.

    According to a source, the suspect had gone to the deceased’s house with a gun in company of his friend were he shot him dead.

    “When Dubem learnt that the deceased was in Kamsi’s house, he went there in the company of Okechukwu and forced the room they were in open and attacked them with a gun,” the source stated.

    When contacted, the Police spokesperson, Haruna Mohammed confirmed the incident, saying the suspects were arrested by police detectives attached to Ogidi Division.

    He said one single barrel gun allegedly used in perpetrating the crime was recovered from them.

    Read Also: Anambra CJ frees 13 prisoners

    He said: “The suspects stormed the house of one Ifenyichukwu Kamsisichukwu, 20, forced her to open her door and took away her boyfriend, one Chinedu Okoye, 24 years of Umuru Village Ogidi and shot him with a gun.

    “Scene was visited and the victim, who sustained a gunshot injury on the back was rushed to Twinkle Hospital, Ogidi for medical attention.

    “He was certified dead by a medical doctor while receiving treatment.”

    Mohammed said the corpse had been deposited at iyienu hospital morgue Ogidi for autopsy, adding that the case was being investigated.

  • Anambra gets cancer detection machine for women

    The Eldorado Multi-Specialist Hospital premises were filled with men, women, young and old, who came to witness firsthand the magic of cancer detection in Anambra State.

    It also attracted the presence of the governor of the state Willie Obiano, because it is the first of its kind.

    There was the launch of the first digital mammography machine used for early detection of breast cancer in the state by the hospital.

    The hospital came with a call on Nigerians that cancer is readily preventable and curable when detected early.

    The manager and matron of the hospital, Mrs. Isuh Chinelo Francisca, said that after four years of operation, the management decided to acquire a mammography machine to address cases of breast cancer among women in the Southeast zone.

    Isuh said the intention of the management was not exploitative in nature, hence the provision of accessible and affordable health care services.

    With the facility, she said, there would be no reason for people to suffer breast cancer any more if they embarked on routine test of their breasts.

    For an oncologist, Dr Brenda Nwamuo, the World Health Organization (WHO), ranked Nigeria as the fourth highest nation devastated by the scourge of breast cancer and other cancer related deaths.

    Dr. Nwamuo said: ‘WHO records, also reveal that one million new cases are recorded yearly and 4.4 million women are currently living with the disease across the world.

    ‘The record also shows that an estimated 1.7 million women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the year 2020, mostly from the developing world, representing a 26 per cent increase from the current level,’ she said.

    Nwamuo, of the Radiology Department, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, noted that though cancer remained the commonest disease among women in the black race and Africa, it did not become a death sentence.

    ‘Breast cancer is a disease, but it does not pose as a death sentence if detected early enough with mammography manned by a competent radiographer and treated appropriately.”

    The late symptoms, according to her, include double vision, muscle weakness, headache, nausea, cough, and shortness of breath, jaundice, loss of appetite, weight loss, and bone pain.

    Governor Obiano said it was the reason his administration started the state Health insurance scheme.

    Obiano was represented by Dr Simeon Onyemaechi, the Executive Secretary, Anambra State Health Insurance Agency (ASHIA).

    The governor commended the hospital for such innovation, while pledging to partner with it to ensure quality healthcare delivery as envisioned by his government.

    He said the government was desirous of turning the state into a medical tourism of some sort.

    Obiano called for pooling of resources and collaboration among health specialists to set up multi-specialist hospitals, rather than mushroom clinics.

    He argued that it was the only way to improve health care services.

    The practical demonstration of breast cancer detection was carried out by the President of Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria, Dr. Ifeoma Ajuba.

    She pointed out that once breast cancer was detected early enough, it could be prevented.

  • Businessman Okonkwo institutes research on Onitsha market

    Business mogul and founder of The Dome Entertainment Centre, Dr. Obiora Okonkwo has instituted an entrepreneurial research chair into the Onitsha main market as a central hub of Igbo enterprise development.

    The research will document the beginning, the growth and development of entrepreneurship at the Onitsha main market, which at a time, was the largest market in West Africa.

    Announcing this at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State, after he was conferred with an award as Business Philanthropist of the Year by the UNIZIK Business School, at the ongoing 2nd Edition of its International Conference in Awka, Dr. Okonkwo said that the coming generation of Nigerians have a lot to learn from the entrepreneurial spirit of the Igbo man which, according to him, were developed from the Main Market at Onitsha.

    He stated that before the emergence of large markets in Lagos, the main market held sway as the hub of Igbo enterprise adding that “at that time, every Igbo billionaire took off from the main market in Onitsha”.

    Relating that to his humble beginnings in business, Dr. Okonkwo recalled that “I had my first lessons in trading at the Onitsha main market, rising from there to become who I am today”.

    He noted that most Igbo businessmen and women of the time, had their offices at Onitsha and only traveled to Lagos on holidays.

    He said that though the trend has changed, a proper study of the market and the growth of the apprenticeship system in Igbo land, will add value to new business innovations that will sustain growth and ensure enterprise survival.

    Noting that the upcoming generation of Igbo businesses must learn from mistakes of their forebears, Dr. Okonkwo regretted that the exploits of Sir Louis Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who at a time was the biggest name in business in Nigeria, ended with his passage.

    He said Sir Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s contemporaries in Europe, America and Asia, have their names as super brands wondering why same failed in Nigeria.

    Dr. Okonkwo challenged the UNIZIK Business School to use the research to help create innovations that would turn Nigerian businesses into super brands appreciated world over.

    “In my life thus far, I have received several awards. But this is the first from a business school. So, I deeply appreciate it. Not only is it the first from a business school, but it is also one from a business school in my home state. It means a lot to me because it is said that a prophet is often without honour among his own. But here I am being honoured by my own, in my home state capital, Awka, a town that is just a few kilometers from Onitsha where my father taught me my first lessons in the rudiments of trading at the Fancy Line.

    “I went through Onitsha Main Market as a youngster, helping my father of blessed memory manage his shop. Through him, I had my tutelage in business growing up to combine school and shop management as well as managing his apprentices. The lessons I learnt at the Main Market are immortal. They could not have been learnt at any university at the time. And that is why I always look at Onitsha with nostalgia. The city, and the market, laid the foundation for who I have become. I won’t ever forget.

    “I am therefore happy that the management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University accepted the challenge to start a business school that will transform lives and help bring innovation to our traditional trading practice. I was at the maiden convocation dinner organized in honour of graduands of the executive MBA programme of the business school last May. I was highly elated to see a crop of young Nigerians graduate from your programme. Seeing them tells me that there are no limits to what Unizik Business School can achieve in the lives of our people.

    “It is for this reason that I accepted to be part of you today. It is also for this reason that I have decided to commit myself to funding a research into what makes Onitsha Main Market such a giant hub in the creation of great businessmen and women with deep insights and guts even when they have no university education.

    We must know what makes main market, once the largest in West Africa, what it is today. We must remember that before Alaba International, ASPAMDA, Balogun, Ladipo (all in Lagos), there was Main Market. Then, the big businessmen and women go to Lagos for weekends only.

    Their businesses were domiciled at Onitsha. So, I believe a research into the main market that will document its beginnings and growth, for our children will be a great intellectual contribution to the vaunted entrepreneurial spirit of the Igboman.

    “This is more so as American journalist, Robert Neuwirth, had in a study, declared that the apprenticeship system in Igbo land, is the largest venture capitalist platform in the world. His study was based on the Alaba International Market in Lagos. However, I do not think we need a foreigner to tell us our story. This is a story that Unizik Business School must document and tell the world. Unizik Business School must strive to bring the world to Awka to learn something about the Igbo entrepreneurial spirit whch created the main market.

    “Many of the great businessmen and women that we have come to know in Igboland, passed through the main market. They started little and grew to become big. It tells me that there must be something that is spectacular about the Main Market and the people that pass through it.

    “In committing myself to funding such research, I am guided by the need to find out vital lessons that will guide our businesses into growing to become world super brands. Like I recalled at my lecture during your MBA graduation, the exploits of Sir Louis Odumegwu-Ojukwu and the likes, challenge us towards understanding why their businesses ended with their generation irrespective of how large they were.

    “I believe that such understanding will help students who pass through UNIZIK Business School to prepare better for the future because the challenges of tomorrow will be greater than what we experience today”, he stated.

    Declaring the conference open, Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Charles Esemone said Nigeria must look inwards to maximize its abundant raw materials by adding value through processing.

    “To my mind, attempts to re-engineer Africa’s economies/business development should be anchored on exploiting the value chains of our primary resources, agricultural and minerals, expanding the portfolio investment and productive base of the economy, particularly with a view to exports,” he said.

  • ‘Don’t let contractors mess up road projects in your community’

    A member of the House of Representatives representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency in Anambra State, Hon. Prince Chukwuka Onyema has charged people of his constituency to take ownership of the various projects in Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state.

    He called for vigilance especially from residents of the communities where road projects were being carried out.

    Speaking while inspecting ongoing road projects at the Amiyi-Umuzu and school, Iyiowa Odekpe, the lawmaker advised them not to allow contractors do shoddy jobs.

    He cited cases where contractors absconded after collecting their money.

    He said, “It is one thing to award a contract and another to make sure the work is done properly.

    “We cannot be everywhere. I urge you all to follow the projects we do in your towns and inform us when anything is going wrong.”

    Onyema said he chose to inspect the roads himself in order to take notes of the work progress, saying he was impressed with the pace especially with the drainage well-constructed at Iyiowa.

    He said the inspection was necessary to ensure high standard quality of work delivery at the various construction sites.

    Describing the project as a precautionary measure against rainy season, the lawmaker assures that the pace of work on the project could be improved to avoid trapping people in their homes.

    Onyema who hinted that the project was an intervention from the Nigeria Building Research Institute (NIBRI), said it was in fulfillment of his election promises to the people of the area.

    “The project is in fulfillment of my election promises to people of Ogbaru. We promised to give them solar street light which we have done and also construct the road because people of the area are suffering due to bad roads and poor drainage system.

    “We believe when these social amenities are provided, it will help alleviate their sufferings,” he added.

    The lawmaker regretted that the Amiyi-Umuzu Road project was temporarily stopped after the contractor failed to adhere to the principles of the contract.

    He insisted that the contractor must present the project specification for review before work would continue again.