# The Bishop on the Niger, Rt. Rev. Dr. Owen Chiedozie Nwokolo has urged Christians to remain steadfast in their faith, avoid sin and practices that could lead them away from righteous living.
The Bishop gave the charge during a pastoral visit to the Church of Transfiguration of Our Lord, Akpaka GRA II, Divine Grace Archdeaconry, where he officiated the Confirmation and Admission Service.
Addressing the candidates, Bishop Nwokolo charged them to reject their former way of life and remain committed to the new life found in Christ.
Drawing his sermon from Colossians 3:3-5, he reminded the congregation that Christians were on 6called out of darkness into the light of Christ and must therefore abandon the works associated with their former life.
He further cited Romans 6:1-2, urging the candidates and other members of the congregation not to use God’s grace as an excuse to continue in sin.
According to him, “We are called to reject every form of the old life, for Christ Jesus has called us out of darkness into His marvellous light to live victoriously for Him.”
# The Mayor of Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Hon. Amaka Obi, has empowered over 500 women and youths trained in various vocational skills by her administration.
The beneficiaries received start-up equipment, including 100 salon hair-washing basins, 100 sewing machines, 30 double-layer ovens and 50 motorcycles, during the 2026 August meeting and empowerment ceremony of the local government area.
Women petty traders were also supported with cash to boost their businesses, while 10 young men received mini-buses under the Idemili South Mass Transit Initiative.
Before flagging off the distribution of the empowerment materials, the Wife of the Governor of Anambra State, Mrs. Nonye Soludo, urged women to reject the practice of keeping children, irrespective of their age, as house helps.
In her address, Mayor Obi said the empowerment programme reflected her administration’s unwavering belief that the greatest investment any government can make is investment in its people, which she noted is also a central pillar of the administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo.
She explained that the programme was not merely a routine distribution of materials but a deliberate effort to build a culture of entrepreneurship, innovation and leadership among the people.
# The Chairman of the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission, ANSIEC, Honourable Genevieve Osakwe, says the commission commenced the early deployment of sensitive and non-sensitive electoral materials to various parts of the state as early as 4 a.m.
Honourable Osakwe disclosed this while speaking to journalists at the commission’s headquarters in Awka, shortly after a meeting with the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, CP Nnanna Oji Ama.
She said adequate security arrangements had been put in place for the election, noting that the materials were transported across the state under the protection of security personnel.
The ANSIEC Chairman commended the Nigeria Police and sister security agencies for their collaboration and efforts towards ensuring a peaceful and orderly conduct of the election.
# The Bishop of Ihiala Diocese, Rt Rev Prof. Israel Okoye, has called on Nigeria Government to engage the youths meaningfully by providing them job opportunities in order to take their minds away from crime and criminalities.
Bishop Okoye, who made the call in his “valedatory” address during the first session of the sixth Synod of the diocese held at Saint Stephen’s Anglican Church, Diocesan Church Centre Ihiala, urged the government of the nation to do the needful as it concerns insecurity the country is passing through.
Recounting the security challenges Ihiala Diocese passed through and several times he was kidnapped, the Bishop stressed the need for the Diocese to praise the Lord; having surmounted the ordeal, hence the theme of the Synod; ” Praise the Lord”, calling on Christians to be consistent in thanking and praising God.
# The Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, Dr. Law Mefor, has commended the impressive turnout of voters in Idemili North Local Government Area during the state’s local government elections.
Dr. Mefor spoke to journalists after casting his affirmation vote at Eke Abatete Community Hall, which serves as the central voting and ward collation center for Abatete.
He noted that although there are other polling units in the area, the Civic Centre remains the hub for all electoral activities in Abatete.
According to Mefor, ffirmation voting is taking place in 20 LGs where APGA candidates are running unopposed, except in Anambra East LG where the Young Progressives Party (YPP) is also fielding a candidate. In Idemili North, APGA is running unopposed both for the position of Local Government Chairman, now referred to as Mayor, and for Councilors,” Mefor said.
The commissioner explained that despite APGA running unopposed, the Electoral Act requires an affirmative vote for validation.
# The DOBA North America has awarded scholarships to deserving students of Dennis Memorial Grammar School (DMGS), Onitsha, as part of its efforts to promote academic excellence and support the educational aspirations of young people.
The scholarship programme is designed to provide financial assistance to selected students, helping to ease the burden of educational expenses and enabling beneficiaries to concentrate more on their studies.
The initiative also reflects the association’s continued commitment to giving back to its alma mater and contributing to the academic development and welfare of students.
Through the programme, DOBA North America is helping to create opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds to pursue their educational goals and realise their potential.
The school community expressed appreciation to the association for the gesture, describing the scholarships as a valuable investment in the future of the beneficiaries and a demonstration of the enduring relationship between DMGS and its old boys.
The beneficiaries were encouraged to make the most of the opportunity by remaining focused, disciplined and dedicated to their academic pursuits.
# The Anambra State Government has commenced discussions with major financial institutions on possible funding arrangements for the proposed staff housing project for civil servants and students’ hostels at the three campuses of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Igbariam and Uli, as well as the Nwafor Orizu College of Education, now STEM University, Nsugbe.
The initiative was being spearheaded by the Anambra State Ministry of Housing as part of the efforts to provide affordable and sustainable accommodation for civil servants and students across the state.
Welcoming the bank representatives, the Commissioner for Housing, Arc. Arize Henry, said Governor Chukwuma Soludo, considers the projects critical to the development of the state and has mandated the Ministry of Housing to design, coordinate and oversee their execution.
According to him, the Ministry of Lands had already provided the required land for the projects, while the building designs had been completed.
He explained that the major issue before the government was to determine the equity contribution and financing arrangements that would be suitable for beneficiaries and participating financial institutions.
# As Anambra celebrated its 35 years of existence, Governor Chukwuma Soludo has declared environmental degradation as the greatest existential threat facing the State.
According to the Governor, the 35th anniversary theme which is “Our Environment, Our Future”, is a call for collective action,” and reflects the urgent need to confront a crisis he described as largely self-inflicted, saying that while his administration had made significant progress in tackling insecurity and other challenges, environmental degradation had emerged as the defining battle for the state’s future.
He disclosed that that during his election campaign, he identified environmental degradation as Anambra’s number one existential threat, revealing that the state’s erosion crisis is about ninety eight percent man-made, as according to him, the traditional approach of relying on government interventions has proved inadequate because the root causes of the problem lie in human behaviour, and blamed blocked drainage channels, construction on waterways, unmanaged runoff water, reckless excavation, indiscriminate sand mining among others for the worsening erosion crisis across the state.
He equally expressed concern that most residents of Anambra have failed to recognize their personal responsibility for protecting the environment, warning that even if the government uses all the state’s internally generated revenue and federal allocation for erosion control, it will barely address the scale of the crisis unless behavioural change becomes the order of the day, and revealed that the Anambra currently has over 1,000 active erosion sites across its communities.
# The Anambra State Police Command has arrested five members of a criminal gang and recovered large quantities of suspected illicit drugs valued at ₦1,450,000, (One Million Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira), a fake United States $100 note, vandalized electrical wires and ₦72,550.00 in cash during a raid on a suspected criminal hideout in Njikoka Local Government Area of the State.
The operation was carried out by operatives of the Command attached to the Rapid Response Squad Awkuzu, who stormed the suspected criminal hideout located at Nawfia, Njikoka LGA.
Five male suspects were arrested during the raid. They are: Omogo Obinna, 29 years old, Okechukwu Nwagba, 28 years old, Echezona Okonkwo, 29 years old, Awal Umar, 23 years old and Ogadinma Boniface, 33 years old respectively.
According to SP. Tochukwu Ikenga,
Police Public Relations Officer
Anambra State Command, items recovered from the suspects include: substantial quantities of substances suspected to be Cannabis Sativa (Indian Hemp), Canadian Loud, Black Mamba, Colorado and Loud of monetary as well as vandalised electrical wires, ₦72,550.00 cash, and a suspected counterfeit United States $100 note.
Preliminary investigation indicates that the suspects are members of a criminal network operating within the area.
The suspects have reportedly made useful statements to the Police and mentioned the names of other alleged members of the gang.
# Sixteen illustrious sons of Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State have bagged the “Anambra Community Role Model awards” of the Anambra State Town Unions Council, ASTUC Youth Wing, for their outstanding contributions to the development of their various communities, Ogbaru LGA, Anambra State, as well as youth empowerment.
The awardees which include Mr Uchenna Ngodi, Chiefs Innocent Nwanosike, Emmanuel Obi, Charles Chima, Philip Afubera, Chinedu Aghaeze, Anayo Esumai, Emeka Ogene, Engineer Anthony Egwuatu, Mr Lawrence Akaka, Prince Fidelis Amalizu, Chief Uchenna Okonyia, Prince Joseph Oduah, Prince Chika Iwuagwu, Chief Chukwudi Chizu, and Mr Obiozo Ajie, were chosen from the sixteen communities that make up Ogbaru.
Addressing the youths, the Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Somtochukwu Udeze who was represented by the Deputy Mayor of Ogbaru Local Government Area, Mr Charles Umunna reminded the youths of the need to be disciplined, focused and resilient in order to get to the top and become useful to the society.
In his address, the President General of ASTUC Youth Wing, Comrade Ken Okoli remarked that the agenda of the group revolves round the Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s administration’s pillars which include security law and order, economic transformation, human capital development, governance and value system, and environment, saying that the group is committed to contributing their quota in making Anambra State better through reawakening of value system in the consciousness of Ndi Anambra.
