… Launches Weekly Workouts In 21 Anambra LGAs.
The First Lady of Anambra State Mrs. Nonye Soludo on Friday launched organic vegetable garden programme in Idemili North Local Government Area.
Angel Network News (ANN) reports that the Anambra governor’s wife and founder of the non-governmental movement, Healthy Living Initiative also lunched weeekly physical exercise across the twenty-one local government areas of the state.
Mrs Soludo flagged off both programmes at Idemili North LGA Headquarters, Ogidi, where the pilot projects are expected to kick off immediately.
The Healthy Living Garden Programme is a community-based initiative where each local government will be supported by the governor’s wife, NGO, to start up their own gardens within the vicinities of the councils’ secretariat.
According to Mrs. Soludo, the gardens shall be manned by trained workers in the local government areas, with the supervision of the local government chairman’s wives.
Speaking during the official launching of the programmes, the governor’s wife said that the the participating local government areas will have till the next three months to start up their farmers’ markets where every harvest would be sold at a rate cheaper than what is sold in the conventional markets.
She said that the farmers’ markets would be opened weeekly across the twenty-one local government areas, pointing out that the intention is to boost food production, cut down the cost of common foods, promote agric education and support organic food consumption across Anambra homes.
“Crops to be cultivated in the gardens include tomatoes, cucumber, carrot, cabbage, hot pepper, green pepper, pumpkin, sweet corn, beetroot, garden egg, saint leaves, curry, etc.
“Our visions for these two programmes are calculated and strong. The Healthy Living Garden Programme is a deliberate strategy to kick-start a long-term agricultural revolution that will make staple crops available all year round and at very cheap costs.
“With over thirteen vegetables and crops for each garden, we want every local government area in Anambra State to lead this crucial move that will eventually give birth to our target of establishing designated Farmers’ Markets in the 21 local government areas of our state in three months time.
“Our vision for this project is cleanly tailored. And we’re on the right path to the success story that waits ahead.
For the weekly exercise, Mrs Soludo explained that apart from building a community of physical health enthusiasts, she wished to use the programme to promote relationships and build a network of healthy living champions across the state.
Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of Idemili North Local Government Area, Hon. Stanley Nwoka assured that he would support the programmes to succeed in the local council and commended the governor’s wife for using her NGO to champion positive change.
The Anambra State Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike, who is also the state coordinator of Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo, said that each goal of the programme is tailored to produce the kind of results that will benefit every age.
The governor’s wife later toured the farmland that had already been mapped out for the garden.
The state chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Ifeatu Obi-Okoye, Commissioner for Information, Dr Law Mefor, Commissioner For Special Duties, Hon. Beverly Ikpeazu-Nkemdiche, the Chairman of Idemili South Local Government Area, Mrs Amaka Obi in their separate speeches commended the governor’s wife for her impact through the NGO.
Speaking in an interview on the importance of healthy living, the Speaker of Idemili North Council, Hon. Anakpe Samuel Arinze states that the governor’s wife educated all and that the importance of her visit are numerous.
” It is only a healthy living society that can excel. As legislators we will make sure that every household gets the seedlings.
