# Residents of Uga community in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State on Monday staged a peaceful protest against what they described as outrageous estimated electricity bills issued by the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) despite persistent poor power supply.
Addressing journalists, the Chairman of the Uga Community Electricity Committee, Evangelist Johnpaul Ifediba, lamented that the town had never experienced a Christmas celebration with stable electricity.
The Chairman also cautioned FirstPower staff against indiscriminate disconnections without first engaging the community’s electricity committee.
Ifediba, who spoke on behalf of the President General of the Uga Improvement Union (UIU), Chief Romanus Umenze, insisted that residents would no longer pay for electricity they did not consume.
He further urged the distribution company to provide prepaid meters to all customers who had applied for them.
# Anambra Catholic Priest, Fr. Emmanuel Obinma has called on Christians all over the world to uphold the love of Christ.
In his Christmas message to Nigerians and and ndi Anambra, Fr. Ebube Muonso maintained that the seed of Christianity is that Christ came into the world for a purpose to die that we might live.
“Nigerian leaders should lead after God’s own heart. Let them be conscientious, know that God has entrusted the lives of people in their hands and put smiles on the faces of the people.
“God has been good to us and blessing our people. Please if you have give to your neighbor around. Share the little you can with people around to alleviate the sufferings and hunger in the society.
# The Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim, has charged youths to be positively disruptive in order to take up leadership positions in the country and achieve their full potential.
Dr. Ibezim gave the charge after receiving a meritorious award from the youth wing of the All Progressives Grand Alliance during their 2025 end-of-year banquet held in Awka, noting that Governor Chukwuma Soludo has empowered many Anambra youths through the One Youth Two Skills initiative and appointments into his government, even as he urged young people to use the Christmas season to show love to the needy around them and avoid engaging in crime in the name of celebration, which could terminate their lives.
In his speech, the Anambra State Youth Leader, Dr. Tochukwu Obiadi, explained that the essence of the ceremony was to celebrate the victories of APGA in the November 8, 2025, Anambra governorship election, the Onitsha North One Constituency by-election, and the Anambra South Senatorial District by-election, as well as to showcase the talents of Anambra youths in dance, music, comedy, modelling, art, and acting.
Also at the ceremony, Dr. Obiadi presented a cheque of two hundred thousand naira to the winner of Anambra Got Talent Show 1.0, Delight Ikpeoha, one hundred thousand naira to Increase Macaulay for emerging second, and fifty thousand naira to Michelle Agor, who finished in third position, and honoured some prominent sons of Anambra State, including Chief Cyril Okoye, with Youth Mentorship Excellence Awards for their contributions to youth development and the growth of Anambra State.
# Traditional religious worshippers in Agulu, Anaocha LGA of Anambra State, joined by friends from within and outside the community, have celebrated the 2025 Ofala Festival of the “Haba” deity.
Known in the area as “ogbugba nne nwanyi,” the event featured cultural performances by various groups of men and women, as well as the paying of homage.
In his remarks, the Grand Patron of Haba Agulu, Chief Basil Uchegbusi, said Haba was sent by God to help in healing people and opening doors of success, among other benefits, and wished all attendees the best in the ending and coming years.
While calling for sustained peace among worshippers, Chief Uchegbusi also urged support for Governor Chukwuma Soludo, and wished him more years in office.
The Chief Priest of Haba Agulu, Chief Mmaduabuchi Igwe, said that many who visit Haba are healed of sicknesses and are granted open doors in all they do.
Speaking after paying homage, Chief Chukwuebuka Obiekwe and Mr. Nnaemeka Anyaanwo testified that Haba fights for the oppressed, heals the sick, and grants open doors, and prayed for protection and prosperity in the coming year.
# The Electricity Consumers Right Network (ECRN) has inaugurated a chapter in Uga to help sensitize residents, especially those in rural areas, on their rights and responsibilities toward achieving steady and affordable power supply.
Inaugurating the chapter, the ECRN Coordinator, Comrade Osita Obi, urged residents to protect electricity infrastructure in their community and to promptly pay their bills.
He called on EEDC to urgently resolve the issues hindering power supply in Uga so that residents could enjoy electricity during festive periods and receive value for their money, noting that many returning residents often contribute funds to settle estimated bills.
Obi described electricity as a fundamental right that every citizen should fully enjoy and emphasized that metering all customers would benefit both consumers and the distribution company.
# The Anambra State Government has urged communities hosting Smart Schools to take ownership of the facilities by safeguarding them, warning that failure to do so may hinder the extension of further democratic dividends to such communities.
The Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mrs. Chiamaka Nnake, stated this during the signing of documents for an agreement between principals of the Smart Schools, Presidents-General of host communities, and the government on the operational mode of the schools.
The Commissioner, represented by the Special Assistant to the Governor on Budget and Economic Planning, Ambassador Uchenna Kanu, stressed that the signing of the handover agreement serves as a test of how well communities can protect government investments in their areas, advised them to utilize the helpline provided in the document to seek clarification on issues beyond their capacity, and urged them to adequately safeguard the facilities to attract more government investments.
Contributing, the Chairman of the Post Primary Schools Service Commission, PPSSC, Professor Nkechi Ikediugwu, appreciated Governor Chukwuma Soludo for fulfilling his promise by making the Smart Schools a reality, described the initiative as a new terrain with huge funds committed to providing the facilities, and advised principals and host communities to go the extra mile in protecting them.
# Catholic Priest, Fr. Emmanuel Obinma has called for peace, unity, respect for Traditional Ruler and elders in Nkwelle Ezunaka Community.
Popularly known as Fr Ebube Muonso, the priest during the Fada Ebube Muonso Salary Scheme Christmas Get Together and sharing of gifts to beneficiaries and less privileged, where he gifted bags of rice and tomatoes (food stuff worth) to about 280 aged persons up to the age of 70 years and over 700 widows and less privileged persons, advocated for unity and peace in Nkwelle Ezunaka saying that no community can move forward without peace and love.
“I am pleading for peace in Nkwelle Ezunaka. Peace brings progress. I am not happy with what is happening in Nkwelle Ezunaka my home town.
“I grew up in Nkwelle Ezunaka where I saw our fathers drinking from one cup but today it is no longer so, things have fallen apart. It is very painful that such unity which our fathers enjoyed is no more.
“Eschew evil, selfishness, bitterness, hatred, intimidation and all forms of wickedness. If you embrace God and goodness it will come to you.
# In furtherance of Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s ongoing reforms aimed at restoring order, transparency, and sustainable governance in markets across the state, the government has constituted a Caretaker Committee for the Emordi Shoe Dealers Association (ESDA) of Ochanja Market.
The inauguration was carried out by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Trade and Market, Chief Evarist Uba, following the expiration of the tenure of the former elected leadership of the market.
Speaking at the inauguration, Chief Uba charged the caretaker committee members to discharge their responsibilities diligently and in strict compliance with the policies of the Governor Soludo’s administration, stressing that the government remains committed to ensuring peace, discipline, and harmonious commercial activities in all markets across the state.
He noted that the caretaker arrangement is part of the governor’s broader strategy to sanitize market administration and prevent disorder arising from unregulated or unauthorized elections.
