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Tag: Anambra

  • Obiano gives scholarship to student who invented bitter-leaf processor

    Anambra State government has promised to sponsor Dikanna Onuigbo, a secondary school student in the state who invented a machine that processes bitter leaves  to study Mechanical Engineering in the university.

    The Deputy Governor, Dr. Nkem Okeke, who made the promise in Awka, yesterday, also assured him of government assistance in patenting his invention.

    He praised the 16-year old SS3 student for his resourcefulness, saying the feat was an indication that the state was blessed with rich talented people.

    Earlier, Onuigbo, a student of Community Secondary School, Okpuno, Awka South Council area of the state, said his dream was to patent the invention and secure funding for its commercialisation.

    He also said the machine would relieve people from the use of hand processing method they were traditionally used to over the years.

    Accompanied by his father, Peter Onuigbo, the Anambra-born student, demonstrated his invention before the Commissioner for Agriculture, Afam Mbanefo and his lands counterpart, Nnamdi Onukwuba, among others.

  • Anambra, NAPTIP to curb child abuse, molestation

    ANAMBRA State is to partner National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to curb child trafficking and abuse, Commissioner for Women and Children Affairs Mrs Ndidi Mezue has said.

    Mrs Mezue told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Awka that the government will also embark on campaigns to sensitise people to stop sending their children to hawk.

    The commissioner maintained that educating women and children would help in reducing child abuse, child labour, and sale of babies.

    “Any parent, who is told that when their children are caught hawking during school hours would be taken away from them, would avoid the act and send them to school.

    “We want to make it clear to parents that one who toys with the future of their children will be arrested,” she said.

    She said the State Steering Committee on Child Labour was working to ensure that children’s rights were protected in the state.

    The commissioner noted that the committee will focus on child molestation and abuse.

  • 2019: Positive vibes for APC in Anambra

    AS 2019 presidential election draws closer, there are mixed feelings in Anambra State among the electorate.

    The three major political parties in the state are the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressive Congress (APC).

    Though the state is being ruled by APGA under the leadership of Governor Willie Obiano, majority of the party faithful believe it is payback time for President Mohammadu Buhari.

    They are of the opinion that he gave the latitude that gave the party the 21/21victory that has become a sing song among the APGA supporters.

    Some of them are equally not happy with the APC government, which they say have allowed innocent people across the land to be massacred by alleged herdsmen.

    Obiano is believed to be silently working for the victory of Buhari in 2019, just the way he did for former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.

    Also, the National Chairman of the party, Ozonkpu Victor Ike Oye, has not hidden his admiration for the president since he took over the mantle of leadership in the country.

    The Nation gathered that he was not part of the kangaroo decision by the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) to field a presidential candidate from the North, after the party’s meeting in Awka last weekend.

    Before now, he had told The Nation that those criticising the president were uninformed, adding that he had absolute confidence in him of fixing the country.

    Oye maintained that the problem with the people in Nigeria is lack of patience, adding that Buhari should be given time to articulate instead of the barrage of criticisms.

    Buhari is enjoying the support of other political heavyweights in the state, including Prince Arthur Eze, Senator Andy Uba, Senator Uche Ekwunife, Nze Modestus Umenzekwe and the APC leader in the state, Senator Chris Ngige.

    For Umenzekwe, the federal roads the president has been constructing in the Southeast is the focal point why the people are solidly behind him, not minding the opposition mainly from the PDP.

    Not only that, he says the ongoing work at the second Niger Bridge, among others, are the positive vibes that suggest the possibility of APC sweeping the zone during the next election.

    Umenzekwe mentioned some of these federal roads in the southeast where non-stop work had been going on as Oba-Arondiuzogu -Okigwe, Enugu -Onitsha expressway, Port-Harcourt -Aba -Enugu expressway, among others.

    The APC bigwig is of the opinion that the president should look into the issue of establishing more federal institutions in the southeast zone to compete with other zones in the country.

    Umenzekwe said the people should be thankful to the president also on the ones he had done, adding that another chance has presented itself to the people to be fully integrated into the political fold in 2019.

    Also, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen Chris Ngige, last week, told the people of Southeast that President Mohammadu Buhari will win in the 2019 election in style.

    He therefore, charged them to key into the system now before they start regretting after the election.

    Ngige described politics as a game of numbers, adding that the people should not allow themselves to be deceived the second time

    He also gave the hint that the Governor of Anambra state, Willie Obiano, will join the All Progressive Congress (APC) after his tenure, describing him as a pragmatist and a realist.

    He said the Southeast did not listen to him when he was singing in 2015 that they should join APC, adding that they hinged all their hopes on the man they gave his name as Ebele and Azikiwe.

    “If you remember in 2015 election, Kano alone gave two million votes and Katsina gave nearly one million. So, all I’m trying to say now is that the configuration of the election patterns in 2015 has not changed in terms of strength.”

    “So, the Southeast luckily, we have some voting strengths. We are in the neighborhood of about eight to nine million voters now and if you have nine million votes within your kitchen and you deliver about 80 percent of it to any presidential candidate, he will not forget.”

    “The Southwest has about 12 to 13 million and the last time, they delivered 55 percent of their votes to Buhari while Jonathan got about 50 or thereabout”

    “So, all I’m saying in effect is that you must do political engineering, that’s the Igbos of the Southeast and the step to take forward is to support a Buhari presidency for 2019/2023 and vote for it with all their strengths.”

    “Because by so doing, number one, they will not be left in the power sharing that will come thereafter like was done at this period.”

    “Igbo will now get strategic positions in government. They will also even get into the kitchen cabinet of the presidency.”

    “The only zone in Nigeria that has not tasted this presidency and people will listen, both on moral grounds and basis of equity.”

    Already, APC has mounted vigorous consultations and sensitisation in the state through those who are seeking for one elective positions or the other.

    While they are moving in the remote areas to woo the electorate, cross carpeting is equally going on among the supporters of different political parties in the state.

  • Police arrest 5 kidnappers, rescue 5 victims in Anambra

    The Police Command in Anambra says it has arrested five kidnappers/child traffickers and rescued five victims in the last seven days.

    Mr Haruna Mohammed, the Public Relations Officer of the command, disclosed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Awka.

    Mohammed gave the names of the suspected kidnappers/child traffickers arrested on Aug.27, 2018 at about 8.30 a.m. as Emeka Nnoruo ‘m’ (44 years), Ekene Obodoako ‘m’ (27 years),  Maduabuchi Ekwema ‘m'( 25 years) , Chika Obi ‘m’ (28 years), and Eberechi Onyeghara ‘m’ aged 14 years.

    He said the arrest of the suspects followed intelligence report and efforts of Joint Police/vigilante Patrol teams attached to Umunze in Orumba South Local Government Area of the state.

    He stated that the suspects conspired and kidnapped five children namely: Ifeanyinchukwu Obiukwu ‘m’ (3years from Umunze), and Chigozie Emeka, 8 years from Okigwe.

    Others equally kidnapped are: Chimaobi Emeka ‘f’ aged 6 years from Okigwe, Chisom Emeka aged 4 years from Okigwe and Onyiyechi Emeka ‘f’ aged 3 years of Okigwe.

    The PPRO noted that the victims were rescued from the suspects, adding that investigation into the matter had begun after which the suspects would be charged to court.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the command had in July arrested a three-man syndicate behind the series of child stealing in the state and charged them to court.(NAN)

  • NYSC, Anambra to set up agribusiness

    The National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) is partnering the Anambra State Government to establish agribusiness ventures.

    Its Coordinator, Mr. Kehinde Aremu, in an interview in Awka, the state capital, said the agribusiness venture would start with poultry before expanding to aquaculture and other aspects, such as livestock and crop production.

    “The NYSC agribusiness venture will begin with poultry because Anambra State is already doing well with the establishment of the largest poultry project in Africa, realising that market for poultry products is large.

    “There is huge demand for protein and eggs; so, venturing into this sector will even boost the home-grown school feeding programme of the Federal Government.’’

    The coordinator said interested NYSC members and youths who enrolled into the programme would gain practical experiences in animal husbandry as they would be adequately trained on ways to make agriculture a profitable business.

    He explained that those to benefit would also easily access loans to finance their ventures as NYSC had a financing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bank of Industry, Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) and Bank of Agriculture (BoA) on zero per cent interest rate.

    Aremu, who said he participated in many agro workshops within and outside the country, noted that his office was waiting for action by the technical committee set up by the state Ministry of Agriculture for the take-off on the venture.

    He said: “We are waiting for a more visible action from the Anambra State government to enable the agribusiness venture to fully take-off.

    “Everything needed to drive the venture had been put in place, realising that one of the best ways to take youths out of the streets is to introduce them to agriculture as both wealth and job creation windows.’’

    He noted that what before now had discouraged Nigerians from embarking on agriculture was convincing them to do it with machete and hoe after they had gone to school.

    Aremu said studies had shown that in other countries, agriculture ran the economy and prospered the people, adding that such practice could be replicated in the country.

    According to him, agriculture is one of the cardinal activities of the NYSC as the corps had farm settlements in Kwali (FCT), Ezillo (Ebonyi), and Bauchi.

    “In Anambra we are looking in that direction because the state has agriculture as a cardinal policy and NYSC wants to introduce the youths and corps members to agriculture in a symbiotic way.’’

    Aremu observed that because land was a challenge for large-scale farming in the state most of the youths went into trading.

    He,  however, added that if the youth were trained on modern agriculture, which did not require large expanse of land, they could make more prospects.

    “Under the skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED), I was in China alongside other Africans in 2017, where we studied how China feeds its large population in spite of inclement weather and other natural factors.

    “The take home is that you don’t need much land to make it in agriculture this time, and your collar doesn’t necessarily have to be black; all you need is good knowledge of the science of farming,’’ he said.

  • Four die, nine injured in Anambra multiple crashes

    Four persons died on Monday, while nine sustained varying degrees of injuries in two separate motor accidents at various locations in Anambra State.

    Three passengers were said to have died in one of the crashes which occurred along Enugu-Onitsha expressway involving a Toyota pick-up van with registration number NSR 428 AU.

    The Nation learnt that the driver of the van carrying eight passengers, was coming from Aguleri to popular Upper Iweka when he suddenly lost control and summersaulted.

    The victims were said to have been rushed to the hospital where they were confirmed dead, including the driver, while the other five were critically injured and were receiving treatment.

    Similarly, a woman was confirmed dead in another multiple accident along Nibo road by governor’s lodge, involving one Mercedes tipper with registration number FGG- 405-XV.

    Read Also: Police nabbed two robbers in hotel

    An eye witness who attributed the cause of the accident to brake failure, said the articulated lorry collided with three tricycles and one Toyota Camry car with registration number KPP 262 AA.

    He said the casualties were rushed to the hospital where the woman was confirmed dead, while four other passengers sustained varying degrees of injuries.

    Confirming both accidents, the Police Spokesperson in the state, Mohammed Haruna, said the corpses had since been deposited at the hospital morgue for autopsy.

    He added that the driver of the truck has been arrested, while the vehicles involved were towed away from the road for proper inspection.

  • ‘Spread compelling stories of Anambra’

    Anambra State Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs, Indigenous Artwork, Culture and Tourism, Mrs Sally Mbanefo, has urged the Anambra State Association (ASA), United States (US) to help spread compelling stories of the state to the Diaspora. She enjoined them to be good ambassadors of Anambra and, indeed, Nigeria wherever they go.

    Mrs Mbanefo, who spoke when the association visited her office in Awka, Anambra State, said for the Governor to fully achieve his goal and dreams of making the state Nigeria’s Dubai, he needs the support and collaborations of Ndi Anambra in Diaspora.

    Mrs Mbanefo enjoined them to help create awareness about Anambra’s tourism potential, which remain untapped, and to  partner the state to achieve the dream of making Anambra tourism a first choice destination for tourists.

    President, ASA US, Michael Iloegbunam, who hails from Abatete, said their visit was to impact and be part of the developmental strides of the government. He stated that culture and tourism should be seen as means of generating revenue for the state.

    “We came to promote and partner the state government to develop the state and advertise our tourism potentials to NdiAnambra in Diaspora.We have some values to add in the areas of medical care, education and others. We will visit the caves today,” he said.

    The Anambra State Association US is a group of 65 professionals from various fields, whose goal is to help facilitate the process of addressing and solving problems concerning NdiAnambra as they relate to education, medical care and agriculture.

    The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr. Tony Ezenwaka, thanked the association for the visit and the proposals they made.

    Ezenwaka said the state government appreciated their sacrifices and techniques used in raising resources for their visit and restated the ministry’s readiness to learn from them on how to mobilise resources. He, however, pledged the government’s support for their course.

    Iloegbunam appealed to the state government to utilise the information from their visit by making policies that would enhance the educational and health care sectors.

  • Anambra to boost spices production for local, export markets

    Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano has unveiled the plans of the state to boost spices production for local consumption and for export.

    Obiano made this known after an inspection of Tiger Food Production Company, Obosi in Idemili North Local Government Area of the state.

    He said the venture would be under a joint partnership with agro-based investors already working in the state.

    Represented by his Deputy, Dr Nkem Okeke, the governor said his government would explore workable means of engaging farmers in the state in growing the raw materials needed for spices production.

    “From what is on ground, the Tiger Food Company is committed to ensuring that our target in agriculture is realised.

    “We’ll continue to see how to make sure that our partnership with them work as well as engage farmers in the state to do more in growing the raw materials needed for the production of spices.”

    Earlier, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Mechanisation, Processing and Export, Mr. Afam Mbanefo, said the state government planned to begin the production of spices on a 100- hectare of land at Ndikelionwu and Ugbenu communities.

    Mbanefo added that Tiger Foods had investment interest in chili pepper, tumeric, local basil and vegetables.

    Tiger Food Company Managing Director, Mr. Don Ebubeogu, thanked the state government for its willingness to create the enabling environment for the growth of the sector.

    Ebubeogu described as cumbersome the running of the value chain of agricultural produce and urged the government to render more assistance to investors.

    He also appealed to the government to help in identifying better locations with comparative advantage for the cultivation of a particular commodity for commercial purpose.

     

     

  • Obiano doles out N.3billion to mission schools

    Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano has donated the sum of N357,136,875 to no fewer than 729 mission schools belonging to the Catholic and Anglican churches in the state.

    While N211,168,125m was given for the reconstruction of 433 schools handed over to the Catholic Mission, N145,968,750m was given to to upgrade 296 of infrastructure to schools belonging to the Anglican Church.

    Presenting the cheques at different occasions in the state, Obiano described basic education as fundamental for the complete formation of the child.

    He revealed that the money was given according to the number of schools handed over to the missions, promising sustaintance of the donation to the mission schools throughout the duration of his tenure.

    While commending the churches for the judicious utilization of funds released initially by his government, the governor urged them to focus on schools in the rural places under the present phase,

    “The partnership with the Church in the area of education is yielding the desired result as the funds released have been put to good use.

    “We are also focusing on teacher’s welfare to complement the efforts in infrastructural development,” he said.

    The Commissioner for Basic Education, Prof. Kate Omenugha said the partnership of government with the Church would help the state achieve its vision of availing students in the state globally competitive education.

    The Archbishop and Metropolitan, Onitsha Catholic Archdiocese, Most Reverend Valerian Okeke, and the Archbishop of Enugu Ecclesiastical Province, Most Reverend Chukwuma, received the cheques on behalf of the Catholic and Anglican churches respectively.

  • Cultural interaction can foster national unity – NYSC Coordinator

    The National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) in Anambra says knowledge and respect for the culture of the various ethnic groups in the country can foster greater unity among Nigerians.

    Mr Kehinde Aremu, NYSC Coordinator in Anambra, said this at the cultural festival of the 2018 Batch B Stream One Corps members in Anambra at the Umunya Temporary Orientation Site on Sunday.

    Aremu said the NYSC had fostered national unity through the posting of young graduates to various parts of the country by making them appreciate the beauty of their respective cultures.

    According to him, the essence of the cultural festival “is to get our young people to appreciate the Nigerian culture.

    “We found out that most of our educated young people have lost touch with the Nigerian culture which binds us together.

    “The NYSC thought it wise to introduce culture in its programme as part of efforts to get Nigerians together, because that is our mandate.

    “We assigned a particular culture to each platoon, made up of people from diverse cultural backgrounds.

    “We made then to research into cultures assigned to them and make presentations on it.

    “So, you see these corps members studying many cultures at the same time in this camp.

    “There are so much prejudices which they take with them to their places of primary assignment.

    “You hear some people telling their children that when they go to some parts of this country that they will eat them, other say they will be killed because they are strangers.

    “But cultural interaction such as this in camp will make them to understand that these prejudices that they have been fed with by their parents and older generations are non-existent.

    “That is how these fears are destroyed and national unity fostered all over,” he said.

    The coordinator said the corps members have been given adequate orientation to enable them to go to the communities of Anambra and contribute to development without any fear of integration problems.

    “The job has been done, the local government chairmen, traditional rulers have come to welcome them, direct employers have made their request and are awaiting them, so these Corp members are ready to go into Anambra with so much confidence,” he said.

    Igwe Roland Odegbo, the Traditional Ruler of Nteje in Oyi council area, gave his royal blessing to the corps members and assured them of happy stay where ever they found themselves for primary assignment.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there was cultural parade, cultural displays and other competitions where the adjudged winners were given prizes.