* Anambra State finished 14th on the medals’ table at the just concluded 21st edition of the National Sports Festival (NSF) hosted by Delta State which was held at the Stephen Keshi Stadium Asaba. The November 28th to December 10th, 2022, Nigeria’s version of the Olympics saw Team Anambra competed for honours in Kung Fu, Karate, Kickboxing, Taekwondo, Judo, Wrestling, Boxing, Weightlifting, Powerlifting, Para-Athletics, Basketball, Badminton, Scrabble, Chess, Gymnastics, Tennis, Table Tennis, Volleyball, Swimming, Cricket, Football, Handball, Deaf table tennis and Beach Volleyball.
* Onitsha Green Seed Market in Anambra State is currently in serious trouble as the Patron of the Market, Chief Emmanuel Ndubuisi, accuses the caretaker chairman of the market association, Mr. Chijiike Okpala, and his predecessor, Hon. Charles Ikegwuonu, of embezzling several millions of naira belonging to the association. In return, the duo of Chijiike Okpala and Charles Ikegwuonu claim that the patron of the market, Chief Emmanuel Ndubuisi, stands suspended as patron of the market over alleged sabotage.
* The ministry of lands, physical planning and rural development in conjunction with Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA), has inaugurated the Awka Capital Territory Land Recovery Committee, under the chairmanship of Prof. Frank-Collins Okafor. The committee amongst other things is charged with the responsibility of identifying all state-owned lands and properties that are currently in the possession/custody of private individuals, determining and recommending to the state government the best procedure to be adopted in recovering the said lands and properties.
* Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo has said that his government is making every effort to ensure that Anambra is secured during the forthcoming yuletide. The governor said that besides checkpoints and security patrols, it is also using technology and putting in place hitch-free call mechanisms, to ensure people report criminals timely enough for action. The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Christian Aburime in a press release on the governor’s behalf dismissed a viral message circulating in the state, which has warned Christmas returnees to avoid certain roads as they have been taken over by criminals.
* The auditorium of Ekwueme Centre for Multidisciplinary Research (ECMR), Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, was literally turned into a debating arena as stakeholders engage in cerebral hobnobbing on measures to devolutionalise power in Nigeria to strengthen democratic practice. The stakeholders made the call during a round table discussion organized by ECMR on Thursday December 8, 2022. The event was themed, “The Legacies of Dr. Alex Ekwueme and The Politics of Power Sharing in Nigeria”, and was organized as a posthumous birthday commemoration of Nigeria’s first vice-president, HE Alex Ekwueme GCON.
* Scores injured as truck drivers clash with touts, revenue collectors in Onitsha. The protest which started in the early hours, Friday later degenerated to a total lockdown of the bridge as well as the Enugu-Onitsha, Onitsha- Owerri expressway and all the roads that lead into and exit of Anambra State, through Onitsha. The situation caused commuters to be stranded while some people alighted from their vehicles and started trekking. While stating the reason for their action, the drivers lamented that the state government, had imposed a levy of N30,000 for trailers loading and offloading goods in Anambra State, while other vehicles have their own amount ranging from N20,000 to N25,000.
* The Governor of Anambra State, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo has announced his administration’s commitment to foster grassroots development in the state through the constitution of the Anambra State Association of Town Unions (ASATU) as the 4th tier of government statutorily. Disclosing this to our correspondent in Awka, the National president of ASATU, Chief Barr. Titus Nnabuike Akpudo, said the governor is working assiduously to give ASATU her due recognition as the 4th tier of government because the governor appreciates the role of town unions in community development.
* The auxiliary Bishop of Onitsha Archdiocese, His Lordship Most Rev. Dennis Chidi Isizoh has described His Eminence Cardinal Francis Arinze as a Holy Man and a Holy Priest. Bishop Isizoh who lived with Cardinal Arinze in Vatican City Rome for 26 years made the disclosure during the auspicious 90th birthday celebration of Cardinal Arinze held at Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity Onitsha, Anambra State. He narrated his experiences before he nade up his mind and prepared to travelled to Rome and live with Cardinal Arinze. ” He said, “It was my mother who finally convinced me to go to Rome after I had secked the opinions of some people. My mother told me that she saw me holding Bishop’s hand and accepted that I would obey him when I was ordained priest.
*Anambra State government has warned that it would not fold it’s hands and watch as hoodlums destroy the state. The State commissioner for transport, Mrs Pat Igweike who gave the warning in Awka on Friday, said the state government would not tolerate activities of a group of tout who masquerade as drivers of lorries, trucks. The commissioner who spoke to journalists through one of her aids who didn’t want his name mentioned said that no amount of distraction will deter the governor of Anambra State from his well focused oriented programs to reposition Anambra State, economically, socially and otherwise.
