# The local government chairman of Orumba North Area, Barrister. Casmir Chukwunonso Nwafor has distributed relief materials to families affected by the devastating erosion disaster in Oko.
The palliatives were distributed recently at the Dr. Alex Ekwueme Civic Centre, Oko, to residents whose lands, homes and other valuable properties had been affected by the erosion.
In his speech, Nwafor assured the residents that concerted efforts are being made to bring the menace under control.
The Mayor said the intervention was aimed at cushioning the hardship faced by affected families and providing immediate support to those who had suffered losses.
In his remarks, the President-General of Oko People’s Union (OPU), Nze Sunday Nwafor, appealed to beneficiaries to remain calm and cooperate with the organisers to ensure a fair and orderly distribution of the relief materials.
The relief items included bags of rice, two bags of garri, a carton of spaghetti, salt, Maggi seasoning, groundnut oil, two mattresses and sleeping mats.
The beneficiaries expressed their heartfelt appreciation to the Mayor for coming to their help while praying for God to bless him more.
# The Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, has urged officers and men of the command to make honesty, trust and integrity the foundation of their service to the people.
CP Nnanna made the call in a motivational statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga on August 16 and addressed to officers and men of the Anambra State Police Command, urging them to uphold upright conduct, dedication to duty and values that would leave a lasting legacy.
According to the commissioner, honesty is essential to earning the confidence of the public, while trust and integrity are critical to building a legacy that will endure beyond an officer’s period of service. He stated: “He who is honest earns trust. He who is trusted builds a legacy. And a legacy built on integrity outlives its builder.”
CP Oji Ama described the principle as his philosophy of life, highlighting the need for police personnel to uphold professional ethics and conduct themselves in ways that strengthen public confidence in the Force.
# The Archbishop of Onitsha, Most Rev. Valerian Okeke, has visited the riverine community of Ogwuikpele as part of his pastoral mission to reach out to the faithful and strengthen them in the Catholic faith, demonstrating his commitment as a shepherd who goes in search of his flock, wherever they may be.
During the visit, the Archbishop, described as being “hungry for souls,” reminded the people that there is no stranger in the house of God, stressing that God’s love, mercy and offer of salvation are universal and exclude no one who approaches Him with faith, humility and a sincere desire to do His will. He, however, emphasised that receiving God’s grace calls for a corresponding commitment to faithfulness, obedience to God’s commandments and a life ordered according to His will.
Archbishop Okeke encouraged the people of Ogwuikpele to remain steadfast in their faith, noting that faith is the doorway to divine favour and that, although it is often tested by the challenges of life, Christians are called to persevere rather than abandon their trust in God.
# The Anambra State AIDS Control Agency (ANSACA) has sought stronger collaboration with JNC International Limited (JNCI) to expand HIV services, strengthen community based interventions and support the sustainability of the state’s HIV response.
The call was made recently when an ANSACA delegation, led by the Executive Director/Project Manager, Dr. Nkem Okeke, paid an advocacy visit to JNCI’s Abuja office to explore areas of partnership and private-sector support.
In his speech, Dr. Okeke highlighted the commitment of the Anambra State Government, under Governor Chukwuma Soludo, to strengthening healthcare delivery and developing sustainable health systems.
Dr. Okeke said ANSACA was committed to expanding HIV prevention and testing services while strengthening public private partnerships to accelerate progress towards Zero New HIV Infections by 2030.
According to him, greater private sector participation is essential to sustaining the HIV response, particularly as donor funding and the global health financing landscape continue to change.
Dr. Okeke explained that ANSACA was increasingly promoting integrated community health services, whereby HIV outreaches could, where appropriate, incorporate health education, screening and referrals for other health conditions.
He said the approach would help maximise available resources, improve efficiency and bring more essential health services closer to communities.
The discussions focused on community HIV outreach, integrated testing services, diagnostic commodities, capacity building and training, technical support and other community-level health interventions.
# The Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, has introduced a strategic monitoring mechanism through the Command’s Operational Control Rooms to strengthen supervision of police checkpoints, patrol teams and other operational activities across the state.
The initiative, introduced on August 15, followed feedback received during the recent Anambra Security Stakeholders’ Interactive Sessions held across the three Senatorial Districts.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP. Tochukwu Ikenga, the new mechanism is designed to promote effective policing, accountability and professionalism, while curbing extortion, harassment and other forms of abuse against members of the public by police personnel.
Under the arrangement, the Command’s Operational Control Rooms will maintain closer oversight of patrol formations and checkpoints. Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers and Tactical Team Commanders will be required to account for the activities of personnel deployed to strategic locations.
# The Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB) has concluded its 2026 Annual Leadership Retreat for Officers-in-Charge, Headteachers and Directors from the 21 Local Government Education Authorities in the state.
The retreat, organised under the leadership of the ASUBEB Chairman, Dr. Justina Anyadiegwu, was part of Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s efforts to strengthen the capacity of education leaders to drive and sustain digital transformation under the state’s Smart Education agenda.
Held under the theme, “Leading the Digital Transformation of Basic Education: Building Smart Schools, Smart Classrooms and Data-Driven Administration,” the programme focused on equipping school leaders with the knowledge and tools needed to improve administration, teaching, learning and decision-making.
In her remarks, Dr. Anyadiegwu reaffirmed ASUBEB’s commitment to translating the Governor’s vision into practical action, noting that Soludo had provided the vision, policy direction, political will and enabling environment for an education system that is smart, efficient, transparent, data-driven and globally competitive.
She said Anambra would not be a spectator in the 21st century, but would deliberately raise a generation of digitally competent and globally competitive children.
Describing the participants as the “completing force” of the statewide leadership intervention, Anyadiegwu said no zone or school leader had been left behind.
She charged the participants to serve as the bridge between government policy and practice, stressing that the state was moving from analogue leadership to digital leadership, paper-based routines to data-driven decision-making, and traditional classrooms to smart learning environments.
The ASUBEB Chairman, however, reminded participants that the retreat was only the beginning, urging them to apply the knowledge acquired to improve school administration, teaching and learning, responsible technology use and educational outcomes.
# The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC Anambra State Command, has charged residents to take ownership in the protection of Critical National, State and Local Government Assets and Infrastructure as a patriotic duty.
The State Commandant, Maku Olatunde, gave the charge while delivering a lecture at the maiden Amanuke Youth Summit in Amanuke held at the Amanuke Civic Centre, in Awka North L.G.A.
Represented by the Command’s image maker, Superintendent of Corps, Okadigbo Edwin, the State Commandant spoke on the topic: “Protection of Critical Assets and Infrastructure: The Role of the Youth in Homeland Security.”
Commandant Maku noted that critical assets such as roads, airports, seaports, railways, electricity grids, transformers, transmission cables, oil and gas pipelines, water supply facilities, schools, hospitals, government buildings, courts, national defence and security institutions, custodial facilities, telecom towers, fiber optic cables, and power generators at cell sites among others are the backbone of any nation. He warned that the destruction of these assets directly threatens national security, economic growth, and the wellbeing of citizens.
He identified theft, vandalism, and destruction of telecom’s physical and virtual assets, fibre cuts, sabotage, building on the right of way, illegal mining, and willful damage to government property as major threats to Critical National Assets, and urged participants to shun acts that compromise public infrastructure.
To address the challenge, the Commandant called for increased vigilance, intelligence sharing, and community-based surveillance. He also encouraged youths to report suspicious activities around critical assets to NSCDC through the Command’s emergency lines.
# The culture, traditions, and identity of Ndi Eziagulu-Otu Aguleri in Anambra East Council Area were brought to the limelight at Ama Okpata Square when the traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Lawrence Nwofia, performed the 2026 Alo Mmuo, known as the new yam festival.
Igwe Nwofia rallied round by other traditional rulers, his subjects, friends, and well-wishers, used the medium to thank God for a bountiful harvest, as their lands which are normally submerged by flood each year yielded more fruits, ranging from yam, cassava, okro, and other farm produce than in previous years.
Ndi Ichie, Oji Ana, Ruling Council, Ndi Ogo Nwanyi, Ikiti, and Town Union Council were not left out, as they all gathered to demonstrate what their town is known for as an agrarian community, and also supported their traditional ruler, Igwe Nwofia, who conferred chieftaincy titles on some deserving sons of the community and encouraged some students with the presentation of textbooks to motivate them to imbibe a reading culture and education, which is the bedrock of society.
Addressing the gathering, Igwe Nwofia said that they gathered to thank God for His mercies upon their land for granting them the opportunity to go to farm and return with bountiful harvest, stating that they inherited such culture from their forefathers, and as such, it will usher in a new breeze, development, and progress in Eziagulu-Otu Aguleri, while clamouring for peace, unity, and multiplication.
Igwe Nwofia prayed that his subjects would continue to experience light, glory, greatness, and increased income, stating that there would be no conflict between them and neighbouring communities, as his reign is for peace and cordial relationships, which he believes brings about cohabitation, and he commended Governor Chukwuma Soludo for his giant strides in the governance of the state, while throwing their weight behind his administration.
# The laboratory outreach under the Anambra State Laboratory Optimization Project (ASLOP) continued at General Hospital Agulu, providing residents with free health screening while promoting access to affordable laboratory diagnostic services.
The outreach, conducted by the consortium partners (Anambra State Ministry of Health, Bloom Public Health, Sydani Group, Erba Mannheim, Worldwide Commercial Ventures Ltd) in collaboration with Achieving Health Nigeria Initiative (AHNi), offered free screening for HIV, hepatitis, blood sugar, blood pressure, and weight checks, attracting many residents who came to know their health status.
Speaking during the outreach, the President General of Agulu, Sir. Emmanuel Ibeneme, commended the Anambra State Ministry of Health, the ASLOP project partners, and Achieving Health Nigeria Initiative for bringing the programme to the community.
He described the laboratory optimization project as a life changing intervention that has improved access to quality and affordable diagnostic services for the people of Agulu. According to him, the availability of subsidized laboratory tests at General Hospital Agulu has made it easier for residents to seek timely diagnosis without the financial burden often associated with such services.
Dr. Ibeneme noted that while the outreach provided free screening services, its greater value lies in creating awareness that residents can continue to access quality laboratory investigations at subsidized rates at the hospital after the outreach.
He urged members of the community to make good use of the opportunity by embracing regular medical checkups and utilizing the hospital’s laboratory services for early detection and treatment of diseases.
# The Anambra State chapter of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) has pledged continued support for the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), Awka, following a courtesy visit to the institution’s newly appointed Chief Medical Director (CMD), Dr. Maureen Uche Umeakuewulu.
The visit, led by the association Chairperson, Comrade Tochukwu Ifejika, was aimed at congratulating Dr. Umeakuewulu on her appointment as the hospital’s first female Chief Medical Director and familiarising with her, reviewing recent developments at the facility, and strengthening collaboration in advancing healthcare delivery through effective media engagement.
She restated the association’s commitment to partnering with the hospital in promoting health programmes and increasing public awareness of critical health issues through responsible journalism.
During the meeting, Dr. Umeakuewulu unveiled a three-pronged strategy designed to reposition COOUTH as a centre of excellence through improved clinical services, enhanced staff capacity, and expanded research activities.
She disclosed that within three months of assuming office, the hospital had recorded remarkable progress, including the completion of 98 percent of its Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system, the introduction of a smart-card wallet payment platform with iCloud-backed access, installation of piped oxygen systems, procurement of modern medical equipment, and the reorganisation of critical clinical departments.
According to the CMD, the reforms are focused on improving operational efficiency and delivering better patient care. She added that the hospital is also undertaking major infrastructure upgrades, including the development of a private wing, expansion of laboratory facilities, renovation of the pharmacy and medical records units, installation of air-conditioning in clinics, and plans to introduce solar-powered facilities.
Dr. Umeakuewulu further explained that the laboratory has been restructured into specialised units covering microbiology, chemistry, and haematology, while a new orthopaedics department has been established to strengthen specialised healthcare services, medical training, and professional development.
She identified staff attitude and continuous capacity building as key priorities in achieving quality healthcare delivery.
On the hospital’s finances, the CMD noted that management systems have been strengthened with the support of financial partners and expressed confidence that the Anambra State Government would sustain its backing for the hospital’s ongoing transformation.
The CMD expressed gratitude to Governor Chukwuma Soludo for the confidence reposed in her, pledging to give her best in elevating the institution to greater heights.
