The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Anambra

  • Resort, stakeholders hold management retreat in Anambra

    Resort, stakeholders hold management retreat in Anambra

    Acropolis Gardens Resort recently played host to the Nestoil & Obijackson Group management retreat.

    The group held its annual management retreat from November 30th to December 2nd, 2023, at the recently unveiled Acropolis Gardens and Residence Resort, Okija, Anambra State.

    At the retreat, management, and external directors of various companies under the Obijackson Group and beyond engaged in Activity Sessions designed to foster teamwork, align goals, and encourage ownership in their respective fields.

    The retreat’s agenda was packed with discussions to reflect on the past year’s achievements and strategize for overcoming the challenges of 2024.

    Esteemed guest speakers from the industry and academia also shared their insights on the business, regulatory, and organizational culture landscape of the Oil and gas industry, contributing to the forward-thinking dialogue of the retreat.

    Each day’s sessions began with an icebreaker to cultivate a spirit of camaraderie and concluded with activities underlining the importance of teamwork.

    The retreat offered participants an exclusive tour of the Acropolis Executive 9-hole Golf Course, followed by a visit to the Obijackson Women and Children Hospital and the opportunity to visit the Benefactor’s Pavilion at the Gonzaga Jesuit College.

    This visit enabled participants to interact with the dedicated staff and reflect on the company’s core values of integrity and determination.

    The retreat not only served as a platform for senior executives to align on strategic goals but also provided invaluable insights into the transformation agenda and vision of the founder and Chairman, Dr. Ernest Azudialu Obiejesi.

    Read Also: Soludo’s wife celebrates as two mothers give birth to quadruplet, triplet in Anambra

    The interactions spurred constructive suggestions for business improvements and reinforced the collective drive towards achieving the companies’ ambitious goals.

    The event was further enhanced by a team led by Isaac Orolugbagbe, Senior Fellow, Strategy & Corporate Governance at LBS, who, as facilitators, used the transformative theme to rejuvenate and inspire the participants.

    Obijackson Group remains committed to its path of excellence and innovation, as demonstrated by the success of this year’s Management Retreat.

  • Anambra strengthens fight against quack doctors

    Anambra strengthens fight against quack doctors

    The Anambra State Government has commenced training for its taskforce team to monitor hospitals and curb  operations of quack doctors in the state.

    The three-day training was organised by the State Ministry of Health in collaboration with the National Agency for the Control of AIDS under the Resilient and Sustainable System for Health initiative of the state government.

    Dr Afam Obidike, the state Commissioner for Health, at the opening of the training on Thursday in Awka said that many hospitals in the rural areas were ran by quacks and secondary school drop-outs.

    He harped on the need to improve on healthcare service delivery in both public and private health facilities, as well as to protect the health of residents.

     “Gov. Chukwuma Soludo’s administration set up this taskforce for the continuous monitoring, supervision and strategic means of identifying quacks and fake hospitals in the state.

     “It is sad to note that many of those who operate health facilities, especially in the rural areas, are not medical personnel while some are secondary school drop-outs.

    Read Also: Hoodlums burn houses, vehicles in Anambra

     “We have sealed up many hospitals where quacks operate because their operations endanger the lives of residents.

    “This capacity training is to strengthen the taskforce to improve healthcare delivery and not to witch-hunt. It is so that our people receive quality care as well as have trust in the healthcare system of the state,” he said.

    The commissioner urged residents to stop patronising quack doctors but report any illegal or unaccredited hospitals operating in their areas.

     “Report them to us, we promise not to reveal your identity and we will fish them out so as to save the lives of our people especially those in the rural areas,” he said.

    Obidike said the state government would establish the State Health Facility Monitoring Accreditation Unit in 2024 to facilitate proper accreditation and monitoring of hospitals.

    In his remarks, Dr Charles Okafor, a facilitator, said monitoring of health facilities was essential to ensuring improved quality healthcare delivery to  residents of the state

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that  participants were drawn from members of the Nigerian Medical Association, Civil Society Organisations, Association of Private Medical Practitioners, Association of Optometrists and other health workers.

    (NAN)

  • Hoodlums burn houses, vehicles in Anambra

    Hoodlums burn houses, vehicles in Anambra

    Protesters from Iyiowa Odekpe in Ogbaru local government area of Anambra stormed the Government House to protest burning of houses and vehicles in the area by hoodlums.

    The protesters with placards blocked the gate of the Government house in Awka with security men on hand to guard the area.

    Governor Chukwuka Soludo condemned the action by the suspected hoodlums.

    The Governor ordered that anyone involved in the act should be apprehended and brought to book.

    He spoke through his Chief of Staff, Mr Ernest Ezeajughi, while addressing the people of Iyowa community under the umbrella of Iyowa community Landlords Residents Association in Ogbaru LGA, said government would intervene.

    Read Also: Lagos Assembly begins assessment of roads

    He assured the protesters that justice must surely take its course.

    According to him, the government will take the matter seriously to ensure that it is resolved amicably.

    The leader of the protesters, Dr. Tony Chukwunoso Princewill, who spoke to reporters shortly after the exercise, informed the government that those behind the attack were still moving around the streets of their houses for further destructions.

    He said a total of 10 storey buildings and 30 vehicles were burnt by the hoodlums alleged to have been led by one of the sons of Odekpe community on November 7 around 7am.

    He added that the hoodlums also inflicted bodily injuries on residents during the attack.

  • Women protest naked against alleged killings, corruption in Anambra

    Women protest naked against alleged killings, corruption in Anambra

    Over 1000 indigenes of 20 villages in Awka community, Awka south local government area of Anambra state on Wednesday, November 22, protested naked.

    They said their anger stemmed from mindless killings of their kinsmen.

    The protesters, marched around the capital city with placards, accusing some senior officers in the police command of aiding and abetting bribery and corruption in the area.

    They also carried a mock coffin signifying the burial of the accused officers, issuing concerned authorities a 7-day ultimatum to remove the indicted personnel.

    Some of the placards read: “Cultists are killing our people”, “Remove bad eggs from Police”, “Nigeria Police deserve better not director of crime”, “DC causing Insecurity in Awka”, “Say no bribery and corruption”, among others.

    Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Chief Richard Onuorah, said the communities would no longer tolerate incessant killings and maiming of their people.

    He said: “We’re crying our eyes out every day because of cult-related killings in the community. There’s fear everywhere. We can’t go out and come back in peace.

    “People are dying every day. We won’t keep quiet and watch this man’s inhumanity to man to continue. It is time to put a stop to it.”

    Also speaking, the chairman of Ezinano Community, Tochukwu Nwokoye, expressed optimism that the protest would bring an end to the unrest in Awka.

    He called for the return of private security operatives in the area, saying they were comfortable with their mode of operation.

    Reacting, police spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga commended the peaceful disposition of the protesters, assuring of an amicable resolution of the matter.

    He also appreciated the people of the area for their support and cooperation, especially in providing information to the police.

    Read Also: Soludo presents N410bn 2024 budget for Anambra

    He said: “There have been killings and cult-related incidences in Awka. We’re calling on the families of the victims to come forward with a formal report.

    “We’ve arrested a notorious killer fingered and confessed to be among those that killed four persons, including a private security operatives. Since that arrest, there has been relative peace here

    “We didn’t achieve that feat alone. The people of Awka have been very supportive and cooperative. I must commend them because it’s through their information that we were able to track the suspects.

    “As for the complaints brought to us, we’ll look into it and do a proper investigation.”

  • Church worker impregnates 14-year-old in Anambra  

    Church worker impregnates 14-year-old in Anambra  

    A 31-year-old church labourer in Anambra State, James Rich, has been arrested for allegedly putting a 14-year-old in a family way. The incident happened in an Anglican Church in Ifite, Awka, Anambra State.

    Rich, who hails from Cross River State, is said to be married with two kids and expecting the third. He admitted to the crime, but pleaded for pardon, blaming the act on the devil.

    He said: “I usually sleep with her every Sunday morning in the toilet. I did this for about three times after giving her N200 to buy biscuit. I plead for pardon. This is the first time I’m committing the crime and it’s temptation that made me do so.”

    The 14-year-old victim, who allegedly suffers developmental challenges, said Rich defiled her every Sunday morning before the 6:30am service.

    Read Also: I’ve never taken alcohol, smoke cigarettes- Akpabio

    Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare Ify Obinabo said the matter was reported to her through the victim’s guardian. According to her, the suspect was arrested after the victim was certified pregnant. She added that the case would soon be charged to court.

    The commissioner, who spoke through her Special Assistant, Mrs. Blessing Nweke, warned adults desist from defiling minors to avoid spending the rest of their lives in prison.

  • Veterinary quacks risk jail terms in Anambra

    Veterinary quacks risk jail terms in Anambra

    Anambra state government has warned veterinary professionals and other stakeholders in veterinary services against acts contrary to established guidelines regulating veterinary practices.

    The director of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture, Rose Chinyelu Ejidike, gave the warning in Awka during a one-day sensitization workshop for veterinary services stakeholders on registration of premises.

    She regretted the escalation of quackery, unprofessionalism, and abuse of the ethical veterinary profession in the state, warning that the era of all forms of abuses of the profession was over.

    She said the workshop was targeted at charting the way forward in veterinary practices with a view to streamlining its operations for enhanced service delivery.

    Read Also: Ex-Oyo Perm Sec reportedly murdered in Ibadan

    She said: “Many who are into veterinary services in the state are not registered nor covered by veterinary doctors. By the time enforcement commences in February with Police and our legal department, defaulters will be dealt with accordingly.”

    The state chairman of the Nigeria Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), Dr Ifeanyi Obiwulu blamed increasing quackery among stakeholders on non-enforcement of penalties on defaulters.

    “Everybody involved in the veterinary business, including premises owners, products and clinic operators in the state must be registered or risk prosecution.

    “Non-compliance on or before the end of February 2024 would attract severe consequences as enforcement and routine monitoring/inspection will be effected.

    “An App has been developed by the Veterinary Council of Nigeria to determine licensed practitioners in the country. We want to promote the health of animals so as to protect human health,” he noted.

    Declaring the workshop open earlier, the commissioner for Agriculture, Forster Ihejiofor, urged stakeholders in veterinary services to maintain a high level of professionalism to achieve set objectives.

    Ihejiofor, represented by Permanent Secretary, Samuel Ike described the role of veterinary professionals in society as critical, just as he pledged continued partnership with the government in the fulfilment of its mandate.

    The legal adviser in the ministry, Obianuju Ezeagu identified two Acts gazetted to control the practice of veterinary services, stating that a jail term of three years or N1m fine awaited anybody found guilty of breaching the law.

    She advised those involved in veterinary practices not only to register but also to follow necessary due processes to avoid regrets.

    She said: “Selling of unwholesome veterinary feeds attracts a penalty of 3 years imprisonment. That’s why it is safer to play by the rules than risk punitive measures.”

  • Police nab three over death threats, extortion in Anambra

    Police nab three over death threats, extortion in Anambra

    Police in Anambra State have arrested two deadly syndicates extorting money from unsuspecting members of the public via deadly threats in Ozubulu and Umunze towns of the State.

    Police spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga, in a statement said the suspects were nabbed at Umunze in Orumba South Local Government Area Headquarters after painstaking investigation.

    He said the suspects had sent text messages to their victim identifying themselves as members of ESN and demanding he paid them a huge sum or have himself and his daughter kidnapped and killed.

    Ikenga said the suspects are currently in detention and would soon be arraigned.

    Read Also: First MohBad, now Oladips, Reno Omokri mourns

    According to him: “In a similar development, the Police at Ozubulu, Headquarters of Ekwusigo LGA arrested one male suspect who used two different lines to issue deadly threats to a businessman.

    “He claimed to be an ESN Commander and ordered his victim to pay up or be killed.

    “Meticulous investigation employing technology and human assets led detectives to his hideout where he was arrested and both sims recovered. He was taken into custody and will be arraigned in court.”

    According to the police spokesperson, Commissioner of Police, Aderemi Adeoye has commended both DPOs for their diligence and painstaking effort which led to unravelling the identities of the crime suspects and apprehending them.

    “He assured that Command Headquarters will continue to motivate its personnel across the State for optimum performance,” Ikenga added.

  • Building collapse: Anambra govt seals Ojukwu varsity hostel, evacuates students

    Building collapse: Anambra govt seals Ojukwu varsity hostel, evacuates students

    Anambra state government has sealed off Dvora Hostel in Igbariam, Anambra East Local Government Area of the state over the suspected compromise of the integrity test of the building.

    The sealing of the facility by the Anambra State Physical Planning Board (ANSPPB) followed a viral video of the structure.

    The chairman of the board, Chike Maduekwe, said the building had since been evacuated to give room for mandatory tests to be conducted.

    He listed tests to be carried out including burrowing, geotechnical test for sub-soil and foundation, structural and integrity test, non-destructive test, and structural frame analysis review to check existing frame sustainability.

    Read Also: Cost of food, gas jack inflation to 27.33% in October – NBS

    He said: “In the meantime, the building has been evacuated, while the Engineer who built the structure has been directed to approach the state Material Testing Laboratory to conduct several mandatory tests.

    “Prior to any test, the developer was also asked to ensure that the building is supported by steel props to allow technical staff from the laboratory to assess the building safely.

    “The result of the test will determine whether the building will continue to stand or be completely demolished.”

    Maduekwe commended the Vice Chancellor of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Prof Greg Nwakoby, and school management for their prompt response to the looming disaster by ensuring students in the hostel were evacuated immediately after the signs became visible.

    He pledged collaboration with school authorities to ensure appropriate management of the situation while assuring parents and the public that there was no cause for alarm.

    He said: “We assure parents and members of the public that the matter is under control as we are working in an expedited manner to mitigate any challenge that may arise thereafter.”

  • My ordeal in Anambra kidnapper’s den, freed victim narrates

    My ordeal in Anambra kidnapper’s den, freed victim narrates

    A middle-aged man recently freed by his kidnappers in Umunze town in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra state has described the community as an enclave of kidnappers.

    The victim (names withheld), a native of Aguleri, Anambra East Local Government Area of the State, who spent four days in the kidnappers’ den, said he was returning from Onitsha when he was abducted on November 4.

    Narrating his ordeal, the victim said he was kept inside a bush between Anambra and Imo states for those days before regaining his freedom after a total sum of N6.3m was paid.

    He said: “I drove into Highway Petrol Station at the toll gate area of Onitsha when a white Mercedes Benz GLK double-crossed me and forced me into the back seat of my car.

    “They were 5 armed men, equipped with sophisticated AK-47 riffles; they dressed in police official jackets.

    “When the armed men discovered there was no fuel in my 330 Lexus SUV, they commanded the fuel attendants to fill up the tank and in the process, another RX 330 also drove in to buy fuel.

    “They also commanded the driver to join him in his own car while they abandoned the Mercedes GLK that conveyed them to the filling station.

    Read Also; Soludo, Obi, others to gather in Anambra for Achebe

    “They blindfolded two of us and commanded us to face down and zoomed off. They drove us from the Tollgate junction down to Umunze in Orumba. About 3 hour’s journey.

    “No police stopped them in the 3-hour journey, although we were blindfolded. I couldn’t tell if they drove through security checkpoints.

    “They told us that we were at the headquarters of ESN in Umunze.

    “My family said that even when they reported to the Police, they tracked my vehicle, and a moment it read Umunze, the police said, ‘it’s a no-go area ooo na headquarters of ESN’.

    “They demanded 10 drums of bullets from us, which they said the cost was N1,650,000 each. Total of N16.5m, or 4 Ak47.

    “When they saw over N4.5m in my bank accounts, they reduced their punishment and began to withdraw the money with a POS machine.

    “They demanded for more money and my family transferred an extra N1.8, making it a total amount of over N6.3m.

    “They are fully in charge of the whole Umunze community. People come to the bush to lodge complaints and they settle cases.

    “Nobody dares invite the police to the community. In fact, we were there when a palm wine tapper passed and they exchanged pleasantries.

    “The palm wine tapper even asked about their commander.”

    The victim who revealed his phones and car were seized before his release, thanked those who assisted in raising the ransom for his freedom.

    “When they were releasing us, they seized my mobile phones and my car and told me that I should write my phone number on the car carpet, that they would later dump it somewhere the way they dumped the GLK.

    “They said that the phone number I wrote on the car mat would be used to contact me by people wherever they dump the car and I obeyed them.

    “When they were leading us to the main road after our release, they showed us some burnt vehicles and said they snatched them from military and police.

    “We were only two victims in the camp. Their boss usually comes to the camp with a bike. He doesn’t stay too long with them. Even the villagers respect him.”

  • Anambra emerges first in polio vaccination in Southeast

    Anambra emerges first in polio vaccination in Southeast

    • 2.3m children vaccinated

    Anambra State Government yesterday said 2.3 million children under the age of 0-59 months received polio vaccine in the first phase of the Outbreak Response Exercise (OBR-I) in September.

    Commissioner for Health Dr. Afam Obidike made this known in Awka while launching the second phase of the polio immunisation campaign (OBR-II), being implemented by Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ASPHCDA), in partnership with World Health Organisation (WHO) and other partners.

    He said the first phase of the campaign, held from September 16 to 19, targeted over 1.5 million children, but it recorded 140 per cent coverage, as over 2.3million children got vaccinated.

    Obidike added that the second phase vaccination was still in response to the outbreak of polio virus in a neighbouring town in Nkanu West, Enugu State.

    He said: “We encourage parents and caregivers to present their children to be immunised, to strengthen their immunity against the virus.

    “We are also integrating routine immunisation during this four-day exercise as well as birth registration for children to help the state government with data to plan for their health care.

    “So, it is an all-encompassing campaign. The vaccines are safe and free of charge. We are hopeful that the campaign will be successful like we had in the first phase.

    “We urge the media to take the news out there so that people can understand the need to vaccinate their children against the disease. Vaccinated children live healthy and longer.”

    Appreciating WHO and other partners for their support, Obidike urged residents to report any health worker who demands money to administer the vaccines.

    Read Also:Polio vaccination: Anambra emerges first in southeast, vaccinates 2.3m children

    The state Coordinator, WHO, Dr. Adamu Abdul-Nasir, congratulated the state for exceeding the target and recording top in the Southeast in the first phase of the vaccination exercise (OBR-1)

    He said: “We want to commend the state government for its political will and proactive measures in preventing the polio virus from spreading to the state.

    “In this second phase, WHO is supporting the state with logistics and allowances for over 9,000 personnel who will be going to homes, churches, markets, streets and schools to administer the vaccines.

    “We are also supporting hard-to-reach communities to ensure eligible children get vaccinated”.

    Executive Secretary, ASPHCDA, Mrs. Chisom Uchem, said the state had taken delivery of over two million doses of the polio vaccine for the OBR-II campaign.

    She said the vaccination would start tomorrow and end on November 14 in the 21 local governments.

    “These few days, we will go all out to the nooks and crannies of the state to strengthen and surpass what we recorded in the first phase of the vaccination,” she said.