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Tag: Enugu

  • Diabetes: Commissioner cautions pregnant women on diet

    Diabetes: Commissioner cautions pregnant women on diet

    Enugu State Commissioner for Health, Dr Fintan Ekochin, has advised Nigerians, especially pregnant women to be cautious of their diet to prevent developing diabetes.

    Ekochin gave the advice during a seminar to mark the 2017 World Diabetes Day at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) College of Medicine, Park Lane, Enugu on Tuesday.

    The seminar has the theme: “The Challenges of Managing Diabetes in Women in a Resource Constrained Setting’’.

    He said that being wary of what one eats helped the individual to prevent lots of diseases, especially diabetes.

    “Diabetes is a common disease in the society today. However, it can be prevented and managed if proper care is taken on the type of food and diet we eat each day.

    “I appeal to women, especially pregnant women, to be cautious over their food intake as well as learning to eat in moderation,’’ he said.

    The commissioner lauded the Diabetes Association of Nigeria for organising the seminar to enlighten members of the public as well as health workers.

    The Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Frank Ezeugwu, urged the general public to participate in the seminar, to enable them understand the danger, prevention and management of the disease.

    “I will urge all women, especially the pregnant women, to always go for regular blood glucose (sugar) test for early detection and treatment or for prevention,’’ Ezeugwu said.

    The state Chairman of the association, Dr Ejiofor Ugwu, commended the participants adding that the seminar was organised to educate women on how to combat the disease.

    “The seminar is all about how to manage diabetics in pregnant women in order to prevent maternal mortality.

    “We are also urging women, especially pregnant ones, to develop the attitude of regular test as this will go a long way to prevent the disease,’’ Ugwu said.

    Two of the participants: Mr Walter Ukwuigwe and Mrs Ujunwa Udechi, while commending the organisers, described the seminar as highly educative, adding that it would make impact in their lives.

  • Enugu APC chieftain kidnapped, battered

    Enugu APC chieftain kidnapped, battered

    The Enugu State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged the police to arrest and prosecute the Commissioner for Transport, Mr. Vitus Okechi, and the Vice Chairman-elect of Igboeze South Local Government Area, Mr. Sunday Ajogwu, for allegedly kidnapping its 2015 governorship candidate, Okey Ezea.

    The party accused the duo of allegedly working for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and masterminding the kidnapping, torture and attempted murder of Ezea during the recent local government election in the state.

    The state APC Chairman, Dr. Ben Nwoye, told reporters that Ezea was beaten to a pulp and kidnapped.

    The chairman said the police rescued him and took him to a hospital during the November 4 local government election in the state.

    He said Ezea only asked for the result sheet of the election and calling for a free and fair poll.

    Nwoye said despite Ezea’s statement at the divisional police headquarters in Igboeze South Local Government Area, the police had not arrested and prosecuted the hoodlums that attacked the former governorship candidate.

    But Okechi denied culpability in tha attack.

    The commissioner said Ezea was attacked by suspected thugs he brought to the election venue over possible disagreement on financial settlement.

    Police spokesman Ebere Amaraizu, a Superintendent of Police (SP), said Ezea should rest assured that the culprits would be brought to justice, if he had lodged a complaint with the police.

    He said: “Chief Ezea ought to have gone to the divisional police headquarters where he reported the matter to find out the status of the matter before going to press.

    “He can also see the Commissioner of Police to know the status of the matter.”

    Nwoye said the attackers must face justice, adding that Ezea was a three-time governorship candidate in the state and a leading voice of the opposition.

    He said: “We called on you (reporters) to talk about what happened to our leader, our governorship candidate in 2015 election, in the last local government fraudulent election.

    “Before everything else, before we became APC members, before we even became Nigerians, we are first human beings. So, when certain things happen, we treat them from human perspective.

    “Recall that I informed you in a hurry on that particular day, November 4, those of you who had the opportunity to come around here, that Chief Ezea was attacked, kidnapped, forcefully incarcerated and tortured. I also said he remained in the den of kidnappers for some time before he was rescued by the police.

    “Unfortunately, Chief Ezea knew his attackers; at least, those who masterminded his attack. He fingered Okechi and Ajogwu.”

     

  • Rangers commence screening of players for Team B

    Rangers commence screening of players for Team B

    Rangers International Football Club of Enugu have commenced screening of players for the club’s Team B, its General Manager, Davidson Owumi, disclosed said on Monday.

    Owumi told newsmen in Enugu this was an effort to make the club a formidable force in the 2017/2018 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season.

    He added that the move would also help to ensure that the club has budding talents which would graduate to the main team from time to time.

    “This screening kicks off on Monday (Nov. 20), and we are looking at talents within the ages of 15 and 19, and this exercise will be supervised by coach Olugbenga Ogunbote.

    “The reason for this Team B is to ensure that budding talents from the South-East geo-political zone and other zones of the country are given opportunities to showcase their talents.

    “We are however looking at having the best three players from the three senatorial zones of Enugu state to form the bedrock of the Team B.’’

    Owumi said players from Enugu State and the neighbouring states will form 70 per cent of the team.

    “The remaining 30 per cent is reserved for very talented footballers from other parts of the country and the world at large,’’ he said.

    Owumi said the club management hopes to identify, nurture and develop local talents which would in the near future graduate seamlessly into the main team.

    “The selected players will be on stipends while those of school age from other states would be enrolled into schools in Enugu where we have some understanding.

    “Already, three players from A-10 Padora FC of Coal Camp have been penciled down to be looked at, with some of the young players that could not make the cut when the screening for the main team ended on Friday,’’ the GM said.

    He said the club management was also working on appointing an Administrative Secretary for the club who must be an ex-Rangers player.

    “Such a person must have gone through the National Institute of Sports (NIS), and he is to help inculcate the Rangers philosophy into the young players,’’ Owumi said.

    Read Also: Hard work, dedication, key to Rangers success – Okpala

  • Media chief hails Ugwuanyi’s development strides in Enugu

    Chief Obinwa Nnaji, a top flight journalist, editor and politician, says the just concluded local government elections in Enugu State, has shown that the Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has stamped his authority in the state.

    According to him, the clean sweep by the Peoples Democratic Party PDP of all the seats-chairmen and councilors in the local governments in Enugu State, amply demonstrated that Governor Ugwuanyi was in charge.

    “Make no mistake about this, forget the conventional outburst of losers, the party PDP is still the dominant political party, with all the House of Assembly seats in its kitty, including the eight House of Representatives and three Senatorial seats. It will be absurd to think otherwise,” Nnaji remarked.

    In a statement yesterday, the journalist explained that the governor over the short period as leader and chief executive of the state has ensured equitable development of every nook and cranny of the state.

    The statement further said that some of those who had expressed reservation about the last local government elections were only reacting to please their masters who must have been disappointed by their abysmal performance.

    Nnaji says most of them cannot win even their polling booths in front of their homesteads and Nigerians are no longer gullible as these fair-weather politicians are still living in their past and will continue to be rejected by their people.

    He advised the government and the state party not to be distracted but to remain focused and work toward uplifting the man on the streets.

    The enormity of governance is not a tea party. The governor is going into an election year,  he should continue to strengthen and consolidate his administrative policies especially those that touch lives of the populace,  those at the rural and urban areas and he and the party would be reassured of assailable heights come 2019 general elections.

    He called on well meaning people of the state to remain steadfast and support Governor Ugwuanyi whose humility, magnanimity and commitment to develop the State remain the touch stone of his administration.

     

  • Vandalism: EEDC secures conviction, remand of offenders

    Vandalism: EEDC secures conviction, remand of offenders

    The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company ( EEDC ) has secured the conviction of one person and remand of two others in Enugu Maximum Prisons over vandalism within the past two weeks.

    Mr Emeka Ezeh, the EEDC’s Head of Communications, said in a statement in Enugu on Sunday that vandalism was on the increase in the zone.

    “At the Federal High Court, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, one Abdulkarim Haruna, was sentenced to one year imprisonment by Justice Mohammed Lawal-Abubakar for vandalizing earthen copper cables property of EEDC.

    “Chinonso Nwankwo who was arrested for vandalising Solid Base Sub-station located in Udoye by Mba Nwangwu Street, Trans-Ekulu in Enugu was arraigned by the police at Chief Magistrate Court 8, presided over by Magistrate C. E Ugwu (Mrs).

    “He was subsequently remanded at Enugu Maximum Prisons.

    “Furthermore, Nnamdi Madu who vandalized Umuatugboma Sub-station, located at Akegbe in Nkanu West LGA was arraigned at Enugu Magistrate Court.

    “He was slammed with one count charge of vandalism under section 1 (9) of miscellaneous offences Act cap. M17 laws of Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004.

    “The magistrate subsequently directed that the vandal be remanded at Enugu Maximum Prisons,’’ he said.

    According to him, youths engaged in the act of vandalism have refused to heed the call by EEDC to shun this act and engage in meaningfully ventures.

    Ezeh said that the company would intensify collaboration with critical stakeholders, vigilante groups and other security agencies in curtailing vandalism in the zone.

    “Customers are therefore encouraged to be on the alert and join hands with EEDC in protecting these installations serving them,’’ he said.

    NAN

  • Gov. Ugwuanyi visits 478 communities in 2 years

    Gov. Ugwuanyi visits 478 communities in 2 years

    Dr Eric Oluedo, the Head, Visit Every Community ( VEC ) Directorate, Office of the Governor Enugu State, say Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has visited 478 communities and some special communities within two years.

    Oluedo disclosed this in Enugu on Thursday.

    “The visit, an interactive session between the government and people of each of the communities, is meant to get community-needs assessment from the people to drive the ongoing bottom-up approach of development adopted by the state government.’’

    He said that the visits had afforded the governor the opportunities to meet with his people one-on-one and felt their pains and gains while living within their communities.

    The governor’s aide said that the visits had given the people the voice to say their most pressing needs or challenges and how they could be tackled with collaborative efforts of the people and government.

    “Visit Every Community (VEC) Initiative, has led Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to sit down one-on-one with community members to chart realistic and inclusive community development programmes for them.

    “You can see that we have hundreds of community-based developmental projects ongoing in Enugu State through the instrumentality of the VEC.

    “And now, the community members are part of the projects since they monitor and report to the VEC office on how their projects are being executed.

    “In some communities, we handed over the entire project to a formidable and trusted committee to execute, while the state government releases money in phases as each phase of the project is completed.

    “In all, we have micro-community projects or projects that will be between five million naira and N12 million as well as those that will gulp up to N20 million.

    “So, with this, basic community needs like Primary Health care centre, boreholes, electrification and construction of town halls, markets, primary schools are done to solve communities’ immediate and pressing needs,’’ he said.

    Oluedo, former Enugu State Commissioner for Rural Development, urged other state governments to adopt the bottom-up approach to fast-track development in the country.

    He said that part of the problem of development in Africa had been the up-to-down approach to development which had left no room for people in the communities to contribute and participate in developments meant for them.

    According to him, the ongoing bottom-up approach to development in Enugu State has given every community and group in the state a sense of belonging and allow holistic development to get to rural communities.

    Special community categories, include conglomerate of motherless babies homes, orphanages, old people’s home, schools for the deaf and dumb, schools for the blind and schools for children with special needs, among others.

    NAN

  • NAFDAC offers standardisation facilities to exporters of agro-allied products

    NAFDAC offers standardisation facilities to exporters of agro-allied products

    The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control ( NAFDAC ) has urged exporters to use its facilities to standardise exportable agro-allied products free-of-charge.

    The agency’s Director of Special Duties, Dr Abubakar Jimoh, made the appeal when he spoke in Enugu on Thursday.

    Jimoh said that the use of its facilities was part of the agency’s contributions to Federal Government Zero Export Reject Initiative.

    “The agency is currently implementing no fee charge for inspection, laboratory analysis and export licence when exporting products.

    “NAFDAC recently established Small Business Support Desk to guide small businesses, including agro-allied products exporters on how to achieve this with ease in line with the Executive Order on Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria.

    “This is to ensure that the agro-allied products meant for export from the country gets NAFDAC certification from our internationally accredited and standardised laboratories in order for the product to gain quick international acceptance,’’ he said.

    According to him, the international accredited laboratories are in four locations, namely; Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna and Anambra.

    Jimoh noted that the agency was already synergising with other government commissions and agencies involved in export business and control to ensure that Nigerians, especially young entrepreneurs succeed in this direction.

    He said that NAFDAC had been working in partnership with Nigerian Investment Promotion Council; the Nigeria Export Promotion Agency and others to promote export in order to diversify the economy.

    “I know this is good news for businessmen and women from the South-East, who currently are leaving  import-side of business to the export-side of business.

    “It will ease standardisation and make the agro-allied products meant for export meet with international package and guideline.

    “This means more foreign exchange for our people and expansion of the current agro-allied businesses and their value chain in the country,’’ Jimoh added.

    “I know with the seriousness people of the zone attach to business, this new export-driven initiative will succeed when we get it right.

    NAN

  • FEC approves N5.57 billion for soil erosion control 

    FEC approves N5.57 billion for soil erosion control 

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday approved N5.567 billion for third quarter payment of soil erosion control accelerated intervention to different geopolitical zones of the country.

    The Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, disclosed this to State House reporters at the end of FEC meeting presided by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The states, he said, included Kano, Sokoto, Ondo, Osun, Enugu, and Bayelsa

    Details Later…

    Read Also: FEC approves N236m for completion of Katsina dam

  • NAFDAC take steps to ease cost of registering products

    NAFDAC take steps to ease cost of registering products

    The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control ( NAFDAC ) says it has taken steps to ease costs of registering products by the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

    The Acting Director-General of NAFDAC, Mr Ademola Mogbojuri, said this on Wednesday in Enugu, during the South-East Stakeholders Consultative Forum on Implementation of Executive Order on Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria.

    Mogbojuri, said that the essence of the forum was to find ways to resolve complaints against the agency and tackle the problems producers face in establishing their own businesses.

    The acting director-general was represented by the agency’s Director of Special Duties, Dr Abubakar Jimoh.

    He said that the agency was concerned about the growth of small businesses and willing to help young entrepreneurs to start businesses and create more jobs for Nigerians.

    “We have recently directed 50 per cent reduction of registration of products for companies with five or less than five employees while reducing registration time to 90 days for all MSMEs.

    “NAFDAC has established Small Business Support Desk (SBSD) to guide small businesses through registration processes and also serve as inquiry point for small businesses on regulatory issues.

    “Also, we now have electronic submission of documents to line Directorates in Lagos as well as NAFDAC Product Registration Outreach (NPRO).

    “This is to provide interactive engagement and advice on documentation, labeling and other requirements so as to facilitate the registration process.

    “Fees charged for registration of locally manufactured products are lower than those charged for imported products. The Agency is always discouraging the use of consultants by companies,’’ Mogbojuri said.

    Earlier, the Enugu State Coordinator of the agency, Mr Chike Obiano, said that the consultative forum would be sustained and made more frequent because of its importance.

    “NAFDAC is committed to zero tolerance on fake drugs, unwholesome processed food and sub-standard regulated products,” he said.

    He noted that the agency could not effectively discharge its statutory responsibilities without the collaborative efforts of critical stakeholders, and appealed for the cooperation of the residents.

    More than 200 producers participated in  the forum.

    NAN

  • Ekwueme is alive, responding to treatment – Hospital

    Ekwueme is alive, responding to treatment – Hospital

    Contrary to the rumoured death of former Vice President Alex Ekwueme in the social media, an official of Memfys Neurological Hospital, Enugu, and his younger brother have debunked the report.

    An official of the hospital who on condition of anonymity in Enugu on Tuesday said that ”Ekwueme is still in Memfys Hospital.

    “Former Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, is alive, stable and responding to treatment.’’

    The official further said that Ekwueme was receiving the best attention from the hospital.

    The official maintained that though the hospital would not give out information about its patients, “the rumour that he is dead is false.

    “He is recovering and doing well; people should not spread false information.

    “The family members are always here,” the official said.

    Similarly, Igwe Laz Ekwueme, the traditional ruler of Oko community in Orumba North Local Government of Anambra, corroborated the hospital’s position.

    The traditional ruler, who is also the younger brother of the former Vice President, said in a telephone interview in Awka on Tuesday that people had bored the family with phone calls.

    “You people should stop disturbing me with all these calls. Ekwueme is alive and recovering, please,” he said.

    It would be recalled that barely a week ago, Ekwueme was admitted at the Intensive Care Unit of Memfys Hospital for Neurosurgery, Enugu.

    Due to his critical condition, President Muhammadu Buhari gave approval for his treatment abroad.

    Meanwhile, the family has described the rumour of his death as “wicked”.

    NAN