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Tag: Anambra

  • Senate alarmed over spread of Lassa fever to 14 states

    Senate alarmed over spread of Lassa fever to 14 states

    The Senate Thursday expressed concern over the spread of Lassa fever to fourteen states of the federation.

    It listed the affected states to include Edo, Ondo, Ebonyi, Nasarawa, Imo, Kogi, Bauchi, Anambra, Benue, Federal capital Territory, Abia, Ekiti and Delta.

    It also said that the outbreak of the disease which was first recorded on the 5th of January, 2018, has risen to 363 as against the lesser number of cases recorded in previous years.

    It said that out of the 363 cases, 81 persons have tested positive, while 44 persons have been admitted at the Institute of Lassa Fever Research and Control, Irrua Teaching Hospital, Edo State.

    About 11 deaths have been recorded, of which 3 are health workers, it said.

    Senator representing Edo Central, Clifford Ordia, drew attention of his colleague to ravaging spread of disease in a motion entitled “Urgent need to support the Centre for Research, Control and Treatment of Lassa Fever disease in Nigeria.”

    The upper chamber mandated its joint committee on Health and Primary Health Care and Communicable Diseases, to investigate steps taken by the Ministry of Health to curb the spread of the disease.

    It asked the Federal Government through the Ministry of Health to urgently provide the Center all necessary equipment to enable it meet its responsibilities to Nigerians seeking medical care at the center.

    It also resolved to urge the Ministry of Information and National Orientation to engage in sensitisation and education of the public on the prevention, control and treatment of Lassa fever.

    The upper chamber urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to quickly visit the center in Irrua Specialist Hospital for on the spot assessment, with a view to providing relief material to the victims.

    Ordia who quoting the World Health Organization said that fever is an acute viral heamorrhagic illness of two to 21 days duration that occurs in West Africa and is transmitted to human through contact with or exposure to food or household items contaminated with rodent urine or faeces.

     He said person to person infection and laboratory transmission can also occur particularly in hospitals lacking adequate infection prevention and control equipment.

    Ordia said: “The institute is the only centre in Nigeria known for excellence in the management, control and treatment of Lassa fever in Nigeria. The centre received samples from all states referred above for the purpose of examination and treatment.

    “The centre also engages in the training of Health care workers, i.e. Doctors, Nurses and Laboratory Technologists on the management of Lassa fever in Nigeria. Last year alone, the centre trained 67 health workers from 15 states with reported cases of the outbreak.

    “The centre is presently overwhelmed by the number of samples received, including patients on admission which has stretched the bed space, beddings, Dialysis Machine,  X-Ray equipment, Ultra Sound Scan, ECG Machine, Ventilators monitors, human and financial resources beyond limit.”

    “The centre is confronted with the challenges of Inadequate protective instruments for the health workers engaged in the management of  victims; inadequate drugs, i.e Ribarvirin for patient treatment; inadequate disinfectants and other infection prevention and control consumables; and lack of operational vehicles, public address system and health education materials for contact tracing and community sensitization.”

    The Edo Central lawmaker said that the Senate should resolve to make more funds available for the centre in the 2018 budget.

    It also urged the Federal Government to set up centres in different parts of the country.

    Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who presided, said health care should be one of the major responsibilities of government.

    Ekweremadu noted that “If this matter is not addressed, we will be fail in our responsibilities. And to know that this issue has been going on for years is worrisome.

    “We need to give this issue the attention it needs. We have enough medical doctors. We need to provide the needed equipment they need to work with. I believe that the committee will help us address the issue. We cannot allow this to continue to spread.”

  • Umeh: My election is victory for APGA, Anambra

    Umeh: My election is victory for APGA, Anambra

    Chief Victor Umeh was recently elected as senator by the people of Anambra Central District. Correspondent NWANOSIKE ONU writes on his thorny journey to the Upper chamber of the National Assembly. 

    The journey to the Senate for the former National Chairman of the All progressives Grand Alliance (APGA),  Chief Victor Umeh,  was not easy.

    But, the anxiety came to an end on January 13, when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),  conducted the election in the Anambra Central senatorial re-run and declared Umeh the winner.

    Before now,  many litigations had trailed the re-run, with different parties and candidates fighting against Umeh and his party.

    After the re-run, the APGA candidate was issued with the certificate of return by the INEC in Abuja and proceeded to the senate for his swearing in.

    Umeh and APGA had gone to the tribunal in Awka after the 2015 elections to challenge the declaration of Senator Uche Ekwunife’s as the winner by INEC.

    Umeh won at the Court of Appeal in Enugu, which declared that Ekwunife’s nomination by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was faulty.

    The court also directed in it’s judgement that re-run election be conducted within 90 days in central senatorial zone.

    The court did not stop there, it equally barred PDP from contesting the re-run election, but the court refused the All progressives Congress APC to substitute it’s candidate Sen Chris Ngige, who had already been appointed a minister.

    However, the party sent an official letter to INEC to conduct another primary to replace Ngige, who withdrew from the election.

    The APC and INEC are still in court over the matter. The hearing had been fixed for January 23 by the Court of Appeal,  before the electoral body hurriedly conducted the re-run.

    According to Ngige what INEC was doing was illegal, describing the election as kangaroo and a charade.

    He said listing his name on the ballot paper was an aberration,  when he had already informed the commission he was not in the race.

    Ngige said: “INEC’s action which is biased jaundiced will be viewed as an act intentionally undertaken to humiliate and ridicule my person “

    “My party APC and INEC are in court of Appeal Abuja over this obnoxious and illegal action of INEC with hearing on the matter fixed for 23 January, 2018 which is still within the ambit  of 90 days ordered by the court,  only for them to fix the election 13th, in order to give an unfair advantage to the APGA candidate to go unopposed.“

    Despite the hiccups, Umeh that fought relentlessly in making sure APGA had a representative at the Senate,  having lost Senator Chris Anyanwu from Imo State to another party.

    The struggle for the Senate,  had pitched Umeh against some powers that be in Anambra because of what some of them tagged as ‘arrogance.’

    But, Umeh’s dogged nature and maturity had kept him moving. He has been victorious in many battles.

    There was a power game between him and former Governor Peter Obi, who wanted to become the candidate of PDP, but failed.

    The APGA chieftain could be described as a cat with nine lives in the politics of Anambra State, having engaged in many legal battles and came unscathed.

    When he came face to face with some iconic figures in Anambra politics like Obi,  Ekwunife and Ngige people never gave him any.

    The election has been won and lost. But, will Umeh be a good senator?

    For Chief Anayo Nweke, who was one of the candidates during the election, in the African Democratic Congress ADC, said the Umeh’s purported victory would not stand.

    He claimed that what INEC did in the central senatorial zone was not an election in any way,  accusing the electoral body of compromise.

    Nweke further called on the Senate president,  Bukola Saraki and his co-senators not to swear any body from Anambra, until the court cases are finally settled.

    He said Chief Obiora Okonkwo was equally declared senator-elect by the federal High, while himself is also in the race for the same seat and APC too, adding that it would be unfair to swear the APGA candidate in by the Senate.

    The Anambra state Coordinator, Transform Nigeria Movement TNM, Comrade Obi Ochije, told the Nation yesterday that Umeh’s victory was victory for Democracy.

    He said Umeh’s presence in the Senate would awaken the sleeping ones from the Southeast region.

    Ochije said the people of Anambra are happy for the victory of the man he described as a political bulldozer, adding that the central senatorial zone had really suffered untold hardship since 2015.

    Now that the coast is clear for Umeh, what will be his reaction at the Senate and his body language to his traducers.

  • NDE trains 2,170 youths in Anambra

    NDE trains 2,170 youths in Anambra

    No fewer than 2,170 unemployed youths benefitted from the various training programmes organised by the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in Anambra in 2017, the state Coordinator, Mr Joseph Iroegbu, has said.

    Iroegbu, who made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on yesterday in Awka, said the beneficiaries had concluded their training and were awaiting take-off later this year.

    “Thirty youths graduated from Basic Business Training, while one person out of the 50 that were trained on Own Your Business course qualified for grant of N800, 000 for submitting a bankable proposal.

     

     

  • Umeh: My election is victory for APGA, Anambra

    Umeh: My election is victory for APGA, Anambra

    Chief Victor Umeh was recently elected as senator by the people of Anambra Central District. Correspondent NWANOSIKE ONU writes on his thorny journey to the Upper chamber of the National Assembly. 

    The journey to the Senate for the former National Chairman of the All progressives Grand Alliance (APGA),  Chief Victor Umeh,  was not easy.

    But, the anxiety came to an end on January 13, when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),  conducted the election in the Anambra Central senatorial re-run and declared Umeh the winner.

    Before now,  many litigations had trailed the re-run, with different parties and candidates fighting against Umeh and his party.

    After the re-run, the APGA candidate was issued with the certificate of return by the INEC in Abuja and proceeded to the senate for his swearing in.

    Umeh and APGA had gone to the tribunal in Awka after the 2015 elections to challenge the declaration of Senator Uche Ekwunife’s as the winner by INEC.

    Umeh won at the Court of Appeal in Enugu, which declared that Ekwunife’s nomination by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was faulty.

    The court also directed in it’s judgement that re-run election be conducted within 90 days in central senatorial zone.

    The court did not stop there, it equally barred PDP from contesting the re-run election, but the court refused the All progressives Congress APC to substitute it’s candidate Sen Chris Ngige, who had already been appointed a minister.

    However, the party sent an official letter to INEC to conduct another primary to replace Ngige, who withdrew from the election.

    The APC and INEC are still in court over the matter. The hearing had been fixed for January 23 by the Court of Appeal,  before the electoral body hurriedly conducted the re-run.

    According to Ngige what INEC was doing was illegal, describing the election as kangaroo and a charade.

    He said listing his name on the ballot paper was an aberration,  when he had already informed the commission he was not in the race.

    Ngige said: “INEC’s action which is biased jaundiced will be viewed as an act intentionally undertaken to humiliate and ridicule my person “

    “My party APC and INEC are in court of Appeal Abuja over this obnoxious and illegal action of INEC with hearing on the matter fixed for 23 January, 2018 which is still within the ambit  of 90 days ordered by the court,  only for them to fix the election 13th, in order to give an unfair advantage to the APGA candidate to go unopposed.“

    Despite the hiccups, Umeh that fought relentlessly in making sure APGA had a representative at the Senate,  having lost Senator Chris Anyanwu from Imo State to another party.

    The struggle for the Senate,  had pitched Umeh against some powers that be in Anambra because of what some of them tagged as ‘arrogance.’

    But, Umeh’s dogged nature and maturity had kept him moving. He has been victorious in many battles.

    There was a power game between him and former Governor Peter Obi, who wanted to become the candidate of PDP, but failed.

    The APGA chieftain could be described as a cat with nine lives in the politics of Anambra State, having engaged in many legal battles and came unscathed.

    When he came face to face with some iconic figures in Anambra politics like Obi,  Ekwunife and Ngige people never gave him any.

    The election has been won and lost. But, will Umeh be a good senator?

    For Chief Anayo Nweke, who was one of the candidates during the election, in the African Democratic Congress ADC, said the Umeh’s purported victory would not stand.

    He claimed that what INEC did in the central senatorial zone was not an election in any way,  accusing the electoral body of compromise.

    Nweke further called on the Senate president,  Bukola Saraki and his co-senators not to swear any body from Anambra, until the court cases are finally settled.

    He said Chief Obiora Okonkwo was equally declared senator-elect by the federal High, while himself is also in the race for the same seat and APC too, adding that it would be unfair to swear the APGA candidate in by the Senate.

    The Anambra state Coordinator, Transform Nigeria Movement TNM, Comrade Obi Ochije, told the Nation yesterday that Umeh’s victory was victory for Democracy.

    He said Umeh’s presence in the Senate would awaken the sleeping ones from the Southeast region.

    Ochije said the people of Anambra are happy for the victory of the man he described as a political bulldozer, adding that the central senatorial zone had really suffered untold hardship since 2015.

    Now that the coast is clear for Umeh, what will be his reaction at the Senate and his body language to his traducers.

     

  • Lassa Fever: 107 suspected cases in 10 states

    Lassa Fever: 107 suspected cases in 10 states

    The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has confirmed that Since the beginning of this year, a total number of 107 suspected Lassa fever cases have been recorded in ten States: Edo, Ondo, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Ebonyi, Anambra, Benue, Kogi, Imo and Lagos States. As at 21st January 2018, the total number of confirmed cases is 61, with 16 deaths recorded. Ten health care workers have been infected in four States (Ebonyi – seven, Nasarawa – one, Kogi – one and Benue – one) with three deaths in Ebonyi State.

    It stated that Following the increasing number of Lassa fever cases reported from several States across the country, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has activated its Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) to coordinate the response to the outbreak on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Health.

    The EOC has deployed Rapid Response Teams to the most affected States- Ebonyi, Ondo and Edo States. The RRTs are supporting the States in response coordination, contact tracing, case management, risk communication and strengthening infection prevention and control practices. Emergency supplies have also been sent to treatment centres in all affected States.

    NCDC stated that it is collaborating with the World Health Organization (WHO), Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, African Field Epidemiology Network, US Centers for Disease Control, University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB), Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA) and other agencies, in supporting the response in the affected States.

    Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness, transmitted to humans through contact with food or household items contaminated by infected rodents. Person-to-person transmission can also occur, particularly in hospital environment in the absence of adequate infection control measures. Health care workers in health facilities are particularly at risk of contracting the disease, especially where infection prevention and control procedures are not strictly adhered to.

    Lassa fever can be prevented through practicing good personal hygiene and proper environmental sanitation. Effective measures include storing grain and other foodstuffs in rodent-proof containers, disposing of garbage far from the home, maintaining clean households, and other measures to discourage rodents from entering homes. Hand washing should be practiced frequently.

    The organisation reminded Health care workers that Lassa fever presents initially like any other disease causing a febrile illness such as malaria; and are advised to practice standard precautions at all times, maintaining a high index of suspicion. Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) must be applied to all suspected cases of malaria. When the RDT is negative, other causes of febrile illness including Lassa fever should be considered. Accurate diagnosis and prompt treatment increase the chances of survival.

    Family members who are providing care for patients with Lassa fever should take extra caution. In addition, States are encouraged to ensure safe and dignified burial practices for patients who die from Lassa fever.

  • FG asks court to revoke Metuh ’s bail

    FG asks court to revoke Metuh ’s bail

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ), the prosecuting agency in the ongoing trial of former Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) Spokesman, Olisah Metuh, has asked the court to revoke Metuh’s bail.

    Mr Sylvanus Tahir, counsel to the EFCC, who made the application at the resumption of hearing of the matter on Tuesday at the Federal High Court, Abuja, said Metuh should be remanded in prison.

    Tahir said the application was based on the grounds that Metuh had breached the terms of the bail granted him by the court, by being absent in court for two days with no cogent reason.

    The prosecutor asked the court to discountenance the submissions of the defence as to why Metuh was absent in court.

    “Since the defendant has been absent from court for two days for inexplicable reasons, and bearing in mind that the defendant is enjoining the bail of the court and has undermined the purpose of the bail.

    “The prosecution is constrained to apply for the revocation of the bail pursuant to Sections 137(b) and 169 of the Administration of Criminal Justice.

    ” We urge the court to revoke the bail and commit the defendant to prison pending the determination of his case.”

    He further told the court that he was vehemently opposed to the application to vacate the days already fixed for trial and adjourn to the next dates convenient for the court.

    On the said medical report sent to the court by one Dr. O.C. Ekweugwu of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Universiry Teaching Hospital, Anambra, the prosecutor said there was nothing before the court to prove the authenticity of the letter.

    “The letter ought to have come by way of an affidavit, but nobody has deposed to an oath verifying the worth of the so called medical report, rather the report was just dumped in the court.”

    He further submitted that it was of no purpose for the defence to ask the court to order an investigation to ascertain the veracity of the medical report.

    Mr Onyeachi Ikpeazu (SAN), counsel to Metuh, had in his submission, prayed the court to vacate the earlier dates the court had fixed for the trial and fix fresh dates in the interest of justice.

    Ikpeazu urged the court to grant the application on the grounds that his client was currently in hospital undergoing treatment for a spine related illness.

    He further submitted that being a criminal case, it was mandatory for his client to be in court since it was against the law to proceed with the matter in the absence of his client.

    Mr Tochukwu Onwubufor (SAN), counsel to the second defendant in the matter said that he aligned himself with the submissions of Ikpeazu.

    Onwubufor, however, added that there was substantial reason for Metuh’s absence in court.

    “There is a letter from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi, Anambra stating the medical condition of the first defendant.”

    On the question of the authenticity of the report and whether the person who signed it was indeed a medical doctor, the counsel asked the court for time to investigate.

    The judge, Justice Okon Abang said the court noted that there was no proof before the court to show that the person who issued the letter was a medical doctor or an employee of the hospital.

    Abang added that the hospital was not a party in the matter and that the person who issued the letter was not in court to testify.

    He further wondered how the said letter found its way into the court records.

    He adjourned the matter until Jan. 24 for continuation of arguments by counsel.

  • Sell at N145 or lose your petrol, DPR warns Anambra marketers

    Sell at N145 or lose your petrol, DPR warns Anambra marketers

    The Department of Petroleum Resources ( DPR ) has warned petrol marketers within its Enugu Zone to comply with N145 pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) or have their products dispensed to customers free.

    Mr Unyime Akpan of Health, Safety and Environment Department, DPR Enugu Office, gave the warning in Awka when he led an enforcement team to Anambra on Tuesday.

    Akpan said the team sealed one filing station for allegedly refusing to revert and enforced the pump price sale of petrol in nine other stations on Atani road in Ogbaru and some parts of Idemili North Local Government Areas.

    He expressed regret that some marketers had remained defiant, in spite of DPR’s efforts to ensure compliance, noting that the DPR might apply more stringent punishment by dispensing products of defaulting marketers to customers for free.

    READ ALSO: More pains as fuel scarcity returns

    “Petrol price is controlled; stations are not supposed to sell above N145 per liter and if the cost of getting products suggests they cannot sell at that price, then they should leave out.

    “Marketers are the people encouraging the hike; if they are not gaining from it, then they leave out until the system returns to normal.

    “We may have to begin to dispense their products free because DPR also has the powers; if this price compliance sales proves ineffective, we may be left with no option than to give out their petrol, so that they can understand how serious we are,” he said.

    In a reaction, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria ( IPMAN ) absolved its members of any complicity in the hike of petrol price and blamed it on scarcity.

    Chief Ikechukwu Nwankwo, Chairman of IPMAN, Enugu Depot, in charge of Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu states, urged DPR to stop the clampdown the members as sealing outlets and auctioning the products would not solve the problem.

    Nwankwo decried the petrol supply situation in the country and called for a more sustainable measure to normalise it.

    He said DPR’s action on IPMAN members, especially those under his zone, amounted to being punished for a problem they did not cause and could not solve.

    Nwankwo said that solution to the problem was massive and sufficient supply of petrol into the system by the NNPC.

    The IPMAN chairman said marketers were making efforts to make petrol available to customers as complete scarcity would amount to shutting the economy and holding the masses hostage.

    “I have spoken with my members here in Anambra, the situation of fuel supply is bad and it is our wish that we begin to get products like the way it used to be before.

    “IPMAN is not happy with the way the DPR is harassing us, closing our stations and auctioning our products. It is like they want to push us out of business because we cannot continue to suffer this loss.

    “NNPC is not allocating products to us, DPR should go and monitor the marketers that get allocation from NNPC; how can we buy product at N190 or N195 and DPR sells them off at N145.

    “We make extra effort to get product at tank depot so that economic activities can go on and we should not be punished for that; we may have to close our stations if they continue to pursue us,” he said.

    Newsmen reportes that pump price of petrol has dropped from between N240 and N250 to N200 per liter.

    NAN

  • INEC Commissioner expresses concern over voters’ apathy at reruns

    INEC Commissioner expresses concern over voters’ apathy at reruns

    Dr Mohammed Lecky, the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) National Commissioner for Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Delta, has expressed worries over the low turnout of voters in recent elections across the country.

    Lecky expressed the worries on Thursday in Calabar, after touring INEC facilities in Cross River.

    He told journalists that the INEC was not comfortable with the low turnout of voters in the recently concluded reruns, especially that of Anambra.

    He called on the electorate in Cross River to endeavor to vote at the 2019 general elections, adding “my major advice to them is to register and vote at elections.

    “The present INEC has ensured continuous voter registration across the country. So this is an opportunity for every eligible voter in the state to register and be ready to vote.

    “We are distressed that people are not coming out to vote as witnessed in the last rerun election in Anambra Central where we recorded just above nine per cent turnout.

    “If we want change we must change through voting. We need to own the electoral process,” he said.

    The national commissioner said INEC would meet some challenges it faced in the state, especially the inadequate infrastructure in the state capital and the local government areas.

    Lecky said that the commission would make the working environment conducive for the workers and added, “we will also do our best to motivate the staff ahead of the elections.”

    NAN

  • Peace Corps to fight cultism in Anambra

    Peace Corps to fight cultism in Anambra

    The Nigeria Peace Corps yesterday promised to stamp out cultism and other social vices in secondary schools and tertiary institutions in Anambra.

    Its Anambra Commandant, Mr Chibuzo Okpokwasili, told newsmen in Awka yesterday.

    Okpokwesili expressed concern at the growing spate of cultism in the state, noting that many youths involved in the practice, were either languishing in detention or had died.

    “Our responsibility as Peace Corps will be to go to schools to sensitise students on the dangers and arrest cult members in a bid to re-focus people’s minds from negative to positive.

    “We are going to carry what is more than arms, which is innovation, motivation and technology that will help to checkmate their activities,” he said.

    The commandant said the corps would complement the efforts of the Police, Army, Civil Defence and other security agencies in the fight against other crimes in the state.

    According to him, the corps is not seeking to rival any security agency, but only to assist through distinct roles outlined in the Statute.

    He said: “Our objective is to ensure that we have a secure, peaceful country and which is why the Peace Corps has keyed into the fight against insurgency.

     

     

     

  • Anambra re-run poll: Collation of votes in progress

    Anambra re-run poll: Collation of votes in progress

    Voting ended with collation in progress in Anambra Central Senatorial re-run election on Saturday in areas where voting and accreditation commenced at 8a.m.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the election commenced at 8 a.m in six Local Government Areas of Awka North, Awka South, Anaocha, Dunukofia, Njikoka, and Idemili South, except in Idemili North that recorded some hitches.

    Voting ended at 2 p.m. at Umudioka Town Hall polling units, Amawbia Village Square, Aroma Junction in Awka South Local Government and Central Primary School, Ukpo in Dunukofia.

    Voting also ended at Oye Market in Ukpo in Dunukofia with five polling units and collation of votes were in progress.

    Mr Leo Nkedife, the Head of Department of INEC in Awka, said that the problem in Idemili North was sorted out a few hours after it was reported to the commission, adding that voting was ongoing in the area.

    He said that prospective voters in the area would be given consideration if they were on queue before 2 p.m when voting was expected to end.

    Mrs Oby Okafor, candidate of Action Congress for Democrats (ACD), described the election as smooth and peaceful.

    Okafor told NAN after casting her vote at Obunagu Ward in Awka South that there was low turnout of voters across the central senatorial district.

    She said it was good that the election had come and gone after months of uncertainty.

    Okafor praised INEC for its maturity and flawless conduct of the election and noted that she would accept the outcome of the poll.