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  • Soludo, Obi, Ngige bid Mbadinuju farewell in Anambra

    Soludo, Obi, Ngige bid Mbadinuju farewell in Anambra

    Former governor of Anambra State, Dr Chinweoke Mbadinuju, has been laid to rest in the state.

    Mbadinuju, who died a few months ago was buried in Uli, Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State yesterday.

    The burial was attended by the political timbers and calibres in the state, including Governor Chukwuma Soludo and his deputy, Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim.

    Others were, former governors Senator Chris Ngige and Mr Peter Obi, but the absence of the enfant terrible of Anambra politics, Chief Chris Uba and his brother, Senate Andy Uba was conspicuous.

    Others who were at Uli to accord respect to the late governor included, Senator Uche Ekwunife, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, Ebonyi State Deputy Governor, Patricia Obila, members of Soludo government among others

    It was the culmination of a three-day long state funeral for the first Executive Governor of the state in the fourth republic.

    In a solemn ceremony, the former Governor was laid to rest after an inter-denominational burial service held in his honour.

    A police parade led the body of the former governor into the arena, followed by the bible reading by the family.

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    But the high point of the event was how the son of the late governor, Chetachi Mbadinuju, a lawyer, described his father as a shining light they had in the family.

    He regretted that the man who showed the light in the state was being criticised unjustly, while thanking Soludo for the state burial given to the father

    He said, “For the past 20 years our family felt like there was a cloud over our heads as a result of the bad narrative peddled against our father.”

    In his eulogy, Governor Soludo said that the late governor Mbadinuju lived an impactful life and described him as a giant and appreciated him for all the great strides he bequeathed to his predecessors.

    The governor promised to sustain the positive legacies of the former governor, pointing out that it was the best way of giving him a befitting farewell.

    He added that he lived his life in service to others, and he never wavered in his commitment to making the state a better place.

  • Soludo splashes N4m on Academicals champions

    Soludo splashes N4m on Academicals champions

    Governor Chukwuma Soludo has given about N4 million cash rewards to winners of the 2022 edition of Academicals Football Cup for primary and secondary schools in the state.

    The cash reward was handed over to the schools and students who did exceptionally well at the Anambra State Sports Development Commission.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that cash prizes of N1m and N500,000 were given to first and second place winners respectively in the male and female U17 categories while N500,000 and N250,000 given to first and second placed U13 or primary schools  respectively.

    Patrick-Estate Onyedum, Chairman of the Commission, who performed the ceremony on behalf of Soludo, congratulated the beneficiary on their deserved recognition and rewards.

    He said the commission recognised the differences in the talent endowment of youths and would continue to provide the necessary environment for them to explore and achieve excellence.

    He said sports was a critical component of the youth empowerment thrust of his administration and charged students to give as much attention to talent development as they did to their academics.

    According to the chairman, we have our Anambra State Sports Solution Initiative (ANSSI) aimed at discovering national and Olympics champions from the earliest age.

    Read Also: Soludo presents N410bn 2024 budget for Anambra

    Onyedum said Gov Soludo had graciously approved that the Anambra School Sports Festival would be a yearly event because of the success of the recent edition while charging schools and students to ensure they took part in the 2024 edition.

    Ukpor High School in Nnewi South Local Government Area (LGA) and Washington Memorial Grammar got N1 million and N500,000 in the male U17 category.

    In the female U17, Christ The Redeemer College, Amaesi,  Aguata and Stella Maris College, Umueri in Anambra East got N1 million N500,000 respectively for first and second place finishes.

    In the U13: category for primary schools, Umuaraba Primary School, Ukpor got N500,000 while Anyaegbunam Primary School, Onitsha N250,000 cash for placing first and second respectively.

    Six students were given prize money of N25,000 each for emerging as best goalkeepers, highest goal scorers and most valuable players.

    Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Rev. Fr Emmanuel Onuorah, Principal of Stella Maris College, Umueri thanked Soludo for the kind gesture.

  • Soludo presents N410bn 2024 budget for Anambra

    Soludo presents N410bn 2024 budget for Anambra

    Gov. Charles Soludo of Anambra on Tuesday presented N410 billion 2024 budget to the state House of Assembly for approval.

    Speaking at the ceremony, Soludo said the budget tagged- ‘Changing Gears: the transformation agenda begins’, was aimed at beginning the transformation agenda and implementing a new master to build a liveable and prosperous homeland.

    He said that the budget was made up of N313.9 billion capital expenditure, representing 77 per cent and N 96.2 billion recurrent expenditure, representing 23.46 per cent.

    The governor said that the budget had a deficit of N120 billion expected to be funded through a facility from financial institutions.

    “We recorded an estimated 66 per cent budget performance in 2023 and today Anambra is ranked number one among the 17 southern state on ease of doing business and number two with lowest impact mortality rate.

     “Internally Generated Revenue remains a fundamental challenge. In the 2023 budget, we expected a monthly revenue of about N4 billion, so far, we are averaging N2billion.

     “We are projecting N4.2 billion as monthly IGR in the 2024 budget and this is a wake-up call to all residents that we cannot build a liveable and prosperous homeland if we do not pay tax.

    Read Also: Soludo: I will bury my father in compliance with state burial laws

     “With the 2024 proposed budget, we hope to consolidate on ongoing projects. Our teachers, students, poor and vulnerable will smile because we are determined to maximise value for the people of Anambra,” he said.

    Receiving the budget, the Speaker of the House, Mr Somtochukwu Udeze, appreciated the governor for the massive transformation projects in the state.

    Udeze assured that the budget would receive expeditious consideration.

    NAN reports that the difference between the 2023 budget (N260 billion) and that of 2024 (N410 billion) is N150 billion, reflecting a 57.8 per cent increase.(NAN)

  • Soludo: I will bury my father in compliance with state burial laws

    Soludo: I will bury my father in compliance with state burial laws

    Anambra State Governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo has revealed the symbolic coincidence of the date of his father’s death

    He said the death of his father, 92- year-old Pa Nwankwo Soludo, which occurred on November 6, 2023 at 7:45am, coincided with the anniversary of his election.

    The former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor said in Awka that his father would be buried “in strict compliance with the Anambra State burial laws.”

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    He spoke after receiving a condolence letter from members of the Anambra State Executive Council (ANSEC), delivered by Deputy Governor Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim and Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu. 

    Soludo hailed ANSEC members for their thoughtfulness and solidarity “during my difficult moment.” 

    He said his father lived a befitting life and would be accorded a decent burial.

    He promised to issue a formal statement with regard to the burial arrangements

  • Whither the Soludo solution?

    Whither the Soludo solution?

    • By Pius Okaneme

    Sir: Never have I seen the elite so fooled by every instrument that is built to protect their integrity. Governor Charles Soludo was a professor. He was a Central Bank of Nigeria governor. He has written extensively on the dynamics of public policies. Who would have thought he will fail categorically as he is presently as the governor of Anambra State. Woe betides us who belittled the street smartness of the Onitsha business men. They resisted him by saying that he does not have the native intelligence to be a successful governor in Anambra State.

    The riddle is that in this scandalous media age, no colleague of his in the past offices he held released the empty profile of his credential for public digest. Was he so skilful in masking his inefficiency or did he possess the ammunition to subdue his oppositions? Nonetheless, one cannot dismiss his prowess in badgering the masses with his analytical sophistication. Now we know his erudition is like the sound of an empty drum. It echoes so loud but offers no solution.

    The governor splashed the shine of his efficiency like the morning sun during his first year in office. Alas, the illusions of his impression have fizzled away. The aftermath of his drama has left the citizens debilitated in some places. The area of Nkpor/Umuoji road by Inland Doors has a bitter taste simmering in the mouth of commuters. It was roughly a year ago that the road was rehabilitated. Today, it is a nightmare to drive through the area. First, the repair work lacked engineering insight. It looked like a construction work supervised by the mad woman that lives by the dumpster located in the area. The side gutter is so shallow considering the strength of the flood that passes the area. Heavy amount of erosion covers the road when it is raining. Secondly, the construction work ended abruptly before fixing a major dilapidation on the same road.

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    Many residents of the state are beginning to assess the rhetoric of the governor as the flighty tales of a junky. They sound amusing but amount to useless gain. Most of the road networks in the state are collapsing. You can blame the past governors of the state for one inadequacy or the other during their administration but they managed to maintain good roads. And of course, they held other unique strengths. All one hears about Soludo is that he is constructing a flyover bridge in Ekwuluobia. Where does Ekwuluobia lead in strengthening the social and economic condition of the state? Government policies should be focused in building up places like Onitsha, Nkpor and Nnewi, the main arteries that pump resources to support the entire state.

    The governor should realise that his grace period is over. Many citizens who expected wonders on the account of his policy analysis on the media are feeling bankrupt from dearth of new ideas in his administration. Organizing thugs to levy hard working citizens may bring revenue to the purse of the state but the burden is so cruel in the face of a depressing economy. Soludo should show us that he knows better with his big load of academic credential by improving the social condition of the people of Anambra State.

    •Pius Okaneme,

    Umuoji, Anambra State

  • Dietary re-evaluation will reduce diabetes mortality rate, says Soludo

    Dietary re-evaluation will reduce diabetes mortality rate, says Soludo

    Wife of Anambra State Governor, Mrs. Nonye Soludo, has called for re-evaluation of dietary lifestyle and physical habits, following growing mortalities resulting from diabetes.

     Mrs. Soludo, who made this known in a statement to mark 2023 World Diabetes Day in Awka yesterday, canvassed for healthy consumption culture, physical exercise and maintenance of right attitude to reduce body weight.

     She referred to the 2021 report by International Diabetes Federation (IDF) that over 537 million adults globally, representing one in every 10, between 20 to 79 years age bracket, were living with diabetes, with an estimation that the number could rise to 643 million by 2030 and 783 million by 2045.

     The governor’s wife, founder of a non-governmental organisation (NGO), ‘Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo’, said part of the NGO’s vision remained preaching healthy lifestyle as an important factor to fight deadly diseases such as diabetes.

     Reiterating her calls on residents to be mindful of what they consumed, Mrs. Soludo noted that although food remained the first and major medicine against most killer diseases, making the wrong choice of it could be detrimental to health.

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     “Understanding the nature of the disease is an important step to managing and preventing it. Routine medical checks and early diagnosis are key to managing diabetes,” she stressed.

     Soludo’s wife urged parents to watch the type of food available for their children, and to stick to diets that could boost their immune system, in view of global reports of more than 1.2 million children and adolescents between ages of 0 to 19 living with type one diabetes.

     She also enjoined households to take extra steps towards getting quality health care by enrolling in the Anambra State Health Insurance Scheme, promising the current administration’s continued commitment to enacting health policies beneficial to residents.

  • World Diabetes Day: Dietary re-evaluation will reduce diabetes’ mortality rate – Soludo

    World Diabetes Day: Dietary re-evaluation will reduce diabetes’ mortality rate – Soludo

    The wife of Anambra state governor, Nonye Soludo, has called for a re-evaluation of dietary lifestyle and physical habits following growing mortalities resulting from diabetes.

    Soludo, who stated this in a statement to mark 2023 World Diabetes Day in Awka, also canvassed for healthy consumption culture, physical exercise, and maintenance of the right attitude to cutting down body weight.

    She referred to the 2021 report by International Diabetes Federation (IDF) that over 537 million adults globally, representing one in every ten, between 20 to 79 years age bracket are living with diabetes, with an estimation that the number could rise to 643 million by 2030 and 783 million by 2045.

    The governor’s wife, who is the founder of the non-governmental organization, “Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo”, observed that part of the NGO’s vision remained to preach a healthy lifestyle as an important factor in fighting deadly diseases such as diabetes.

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    While reiterating her calls on residents to be mindful of what they consume, Mrs Soludo argued that even though food remains the first and major medicine against most killer diseases, making the wrong choice could be detrimental to health.

    “Understanding the nature of the disease is an important step to managing and preventing it. Routine medical checks and early diagnosis are key to managing diabetes,” she stressed.

    Soludo’s wife further urged parents to watch the type of foods available for their children and to stick to diets that could boost their immune system, in view of global reports of more than 1.2 million children and adolescents between the ages of 0 to 19 living with type one diabetes.

    She also enjoined households to take extra steps towards getting quality healthcare by enrolling in the Anambra State Health Insurance Scheme, promising the current administration’s continued commitment to enacting health policies beneficial to residents of the state.

    World Diabetes Day is commemorated on November 14 every year to raise awareness and respond to growing concerns about the escalating health threat posed by diabetes the world over.

    IDF reports indicated that diabetes caused 6.7 million deaths in 2021 alone.

  • Soludo, Obi, others to gather in Anambra for Achebe

    Soludo, Obi, others to gather in Anambra for Achebe

    Anambra state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, and the former governor and presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi would unite in Anambra to honour the late literary giant, Prof Chinua Achebe.

    They will assemble with others, including traditional rulers as writers, intellectuals, literary activists, book lovers, and top political giants as young writers in Anambra state set to host the 2023 Chinua Achebe Literary Festival and Memorial Lecture.

    The coordinator of the Society of Young Nigerian Writers (Anambra state chapter), Izunna Okafor, made this known in Awka while giving an update on the association’s preparedness for the 2023 edition of the event.

    Okafor told reporters Monday, November 13, that Achebe’s Literary Festival and Memorial Lecture, initiated in 2016 and currently in its 8th edition, was a literary event the association annually hosts in honour of Nigerian literary icon, late Prof. Chinua Achebe

    He said It was a celebration of his life, works and legacies, adding that this year’s event would (as usual) be held on Achebe’s birthday, November 16, 2023, at the Anambra State Central E-Library (also known as the Prof. Kenneth Dike State Library), Awka, starting at 10. am prompt; with many dignitaries and participants in attendance.

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    While revealing this year’s theme of the event as “Ten Years After… Remembering Achebe’s Legacies in Today’s Nigeria”, Okafor further disclosed that the 2023 Achebe Memorial Lecture would be delivered by Peter Obi while Governor Soludo would be the special guest of honour.

    He added that this year’s event would be chaired by an award-winning writer and Traditional Ruler of Obosi kingdom, Igwe Chidubem Iweka.

    Also, the traditional ruler of Achebe’s hometown, Ogidi, Igwe Alex Onyido would be the Royal Father of the Day, among other dignitaries expected at the event.

    Okafor said: “The event will feature the 2023 Achebe Lecture, drama, spoken word poetry, the announcement of the winners of the 2023 Chinua Achebe Essay Writing Competition (for secondary schools), special reading, award presentation, among other literary packages slated for the day”

    He hinted that the occasion would also feature the unveiling and presentation of the 8th Chinua Achebe Poetry/Essay Anthology, entitled “Anthills of Words (In Memory of Achebe)”, which was the association’s newest international anthology of poems and essays, published in honour of Achebe.

    The annual international anthology, he explained, was one of the writers’ way of immortalizing Achebe, and contained poems, essays, and reviews written and submitted by writers from different countries of the world.

    Okafor, an award-winning author, and journalist, said the open-to-all event, which would mark Achebe’s 93 posthumous birthday and ten years after his death, would equally be graced by arrays of literary icons from within and outside the country, who will be storming Awka to honour the legendary Achebe

    Born November 16, 1930, Prof. Chinua Achebe, who hailed from Ogidi in Anambra State, was a foremost Nigerian writer, critic, and author of Things Fall Apart. He died on March 21, 2013, at the age of 82.

  • ‘We’ll replicate Soludo’s Healthy Living Project in Anambra communities’

    ‘We’ll replicate Soludo’s Healthy Living Project in Anambra communities’

    • From Awesome Ekene

    The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has said it will replicate the Healthy Living pet project in the 179 communities of Anambra State.

    The Healthy Living is a pet project of the governor’s wife, Dr. Nonye Soludo.

    State Coordinator, Mrs. Blessing Iruma, stated this at a symposium, Healthy Living Advocacy, organised by the Anambra State Association of Town Union (ASATU) Youth Secretariat Hall, Government House, Awka.

    Mrs. Iruma, represented by Assistant Director of Information, Emeka Ugwu, said the project is not only noble, ‘but has a semblance of NYSC’s Health Initiative for rural dwellers and should be adopted by NYSC and replicated in all the 179 communities in the state’.

    According to her, the scheme has enough corps doctors, pharmacists, nurses, physiotherapists and other paramedics to carry out the assignment.

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    She said: “The areas of coverage include free sensitisation campaigns, medical checks, counselling, diagnosis, referral and prescription. Any community that invites the NYSC for the medical outreach is expected to source for drugs for use on that day.”

    Mrs. Iruma called on ASATU Youths to sensitise their communities on NYSC collaboration with Mrs. Soludo, and invite NYSC to their communities to assist rural dwellers have healthy living lifestyle.

  • ‘Soludo has done well in two years’’

    ‘Soludo has done well in two years’’

    Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Anambra State, Ifeatu Obi-Okoli, has described the achievements of Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s administration as credible and unprecedented. 

    He said Soludo, in less than two years, had done as much as what his predecessors did in eight years. 

    Speaking exclusively with The Nation, Obi-Okoli, a lawyer and former chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, said Soludo had built over 400 kilometres of roads in less than 16 months.

    He also scored Soludo high in human capital development, youth empowerment, education and health care, which he noted had been a threat to the opposition.

    Said he: “When you talk about road construction, how many kilometres of good roads in less than two years. Mr Governor’s profile has been incredible. 

    “I’ve been through the system right from the Ngige administration and one can say by fair comparison, the performances of previous administrations, including the last, have been credible. 

    “In fairness, Governor Soludo, in less than two years, has done as much as what his predecessors did in eight years. 

    “When you talk about road construction, how many kilometres of good roads that have been built in 16 months, the governor has been able to construct 400 kilometres of roads. 

    Read Also: Soludo weeps as school reveals names of three pupils killed by lightning

    “Ngige’s government of three and a half years, which I was part of, built 685 kilometres of roads within three and a half years. Peter Obi’s administration capped it all.

    “If you come to initiatives of the current government, talk about human capital development, you know before now, it has always been make me SA, SSA. But Soludo came with a new brand.

    “We’ll rather ensure people are gainfully employed. Teach them trades with take- off grants. With this, you have a permanent means of livelihood than depending on stipends that come from appointments. 

    “This we demonstrated a few days ago at the International Convention Centre (ICC). The first batch of graduates was empowered with N2billion as take-off grants. 

    “So people are going into backgrounds, depending on the area of training, photography, animal husbandry, tailor