# Six people from different communities in Dunukofia Local Government Area have been honoured as “ Community Role Models” by the Youth Wing of the Anambra State Town Unions Council, ASTUC.
They are: Chief Nnamdi Okafor from Ukpo, Chief Fredrick Ezika from Umunnachi, Chief Olisa Adinnu from Umudioka, Chief Christian Igboanugo from Ukwulu, Chief Vincent Udobi from Ifitedunu, and Honourable Augustine Onyemaobi from Nawgu.
Speaking at the event, the President General of ASTUC Youth Wing, Comrade Ken Okoli, noted that no society can be built without a value system. He explained that the search and honouring of people as community role models was to help strengthen the core values of onye Anambra as being championed by Governor Chukwuma Soludo.
Speaking after they were honoured, Chief Udobi, represented by Honourable Anthony Abaeze, commended the youth body for inspiring younger people by honouring individuals in various communities who achieved success in life through hardwork.
The Anambra State Police Command, through the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, used the occasion to speak on the police campaign against cultism and other vices, and called for collective efforts in promoting Anambra’s shared community values.
# The Anambra State Police Command, in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS) and other sister security agencies, has embarked on a sensitisation walk across the state to raise public awareness on violent crime prevention and promote enhanced public safety.
The exercise brought together personnel from various security agencies who marched in solidarity to raise public awareness on the dangers of violent crime and the importance of collective action in maintaining peace and security across the state.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the sensitisation walk was aimed at reinforcing the commitment of security agencies to inter-agency collaboration, intelligence sharing, community engagement and proactive crime prevention.
SP Ikenga said the exercise also sought to encourage residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities to the appropriate security authorities.
He reiterated the command’s position that the protection of lives and property and the maintenance of peace in the state require the collective efforts of both security agencies and members of the public.
The command therefore called on community leaders, traditional rulers, religious organisations, youth and women groups, transport unions and other stakeholders to continue supporting security agencies by providing credible information that could assist in preventing crime and apprehending criminal elements.
# The Anambra Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Ben Odoemena, says the state government is developing a 10-year agricultural strategy to reposition the sector following challenges experienced in 2025.
Dr. Odoemena disclosed this while appearing before the Public Accounts Committee of the Anambra State House of Assembly during the review of the state’s 2025 audited accounts in Awka.
He said the ministry had assessed its performance in 2025 and identified gaps that necessitated a comprehensive, result-oriented roadmap for the agricultural sector.
According to him, the strategy will serve as a blueprint for agricultural development in the state over the next decade. “The document will define the flagship programmes to be implemented by the state government and will be presented to Governor Chukwuma Soludo and his team within the next three months,” he said.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts, Hon. Noble Igwe, commended the commissioner for honouring the committee’s invitation and providing explanations on the ministry’s programmes and activities.
Hon. Igwe said the review of the audited accounts was aimed at strengthening accountability, transparency and the effective implementation of government programmes in the state.
# The Executive Director of the Anambra State AIDS Control Agency (ANSACA), Dr. Hilary Okeke, has called on mothers to practise exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months to ensure children have adequate nutrition and stronger immunity against diseases.
Addressing pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers at the Maternal and Child Healthcare Clinic, Ogidi, to mark World Breastfeeding Week, Dr. Okeke, who thanked the Mayor of Idemili North Local Government Area, Chief Stanley Nkwoka, for partnering with ANSACA on the programme, educated the women that breast milk is the first vaccine given to a baby upon birth, and urged them to maintain exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and to ignore tales spread by people regarding breast milk and breastfeeding in order to maintain a healthy life for both child and mother.
According to Dr. Okeke, data shows that about seventy percent of women in Nigeria do not observe exclusive breastfeeding. He urged mothers and opinion leaders in the community to encourage women to register early for antenatal care when pregnant, and to start their children on breast milk immediately upon birth to meet the golden hour.
He appealed to employers of labour and institutions to encourage the practice of the baby-friendly initiative in their various workplaces by giving reproductive women who give birth six months of maternity leave.
Dr. Okeke informed women that being HIV positive should not deny one the joy of motherhood or a child a healthy future, as long as a pregnant woman who is HIV positive reports for antenatal care on time and is compliant with antiretroviral drugs, she will get to a level where she will not transmit the disease and can breastfeed a child properly without the child contracting HIV.
He appreciated Governor Chukwuma Soludo for doing something extraordinary in the health sector, which has placed Anambra State above other states in Nigeria in terms of health, and for providing pregnant women with free antenatal and delivery services in general hospitals across the state, even as he congratulated the Governor’s wife, Dr. Nonye Soludo, for winning the 2026 BudgiT Active Citizens Award in Health Activism.
# The Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) says it remains committed to conducting the local government elections as scheduled on August 29, 2026.
Despite a legal challenge instituted by 56 serving councillors in Anambra State, the commission maintained that the mere filing of a lawsuit does not automatically halt an electoral process, insisting that it is continuing preparations for what it described as a free, fair and transparent election.
The Chairman of ANSIEC, Mrs Genevieve Osakwe, who spoke with journalists via phone in Awka, said the commission was at its offices working to conclude arrangements for the conduct of the election.
According to Osakwe, the commission has not received any directive requiring it to suspend the electoral process.
# The Youth Wing of the Anambra State Town Unions Council (ASTUC) has honoured a former Anambra State governorship candidate, Chief Valentine Ozigbo, with a Community Role Model Award in recognition of his contributions to community development and youth empowerment.
Ozigbo, a native of Amesi in Aguata Local Government Area, received the award as part of the ASTUC Youth Wing’s ongoing “We Believe in Anambra” campaign, aimed at promoting positive values, patriotism and responsible citizenship among youths across the state.
Presenting the award, the President of the ASTUC Youth Wing, Comrade Ken Okoli, described Ozigbo as an inspiration to young people and a personality who has contributed significantly to the development of society.
Receiving the award, Chief Ozigbo thanked the ASTUC Youth Wing for the recognition and encouraged young people to believe in themselves and remain focused on their goals.
He identified character, competence and conviction as essential qualities for anyone aspiring to achieve greatness, urging the youths to embrace hard work, perseverance and responsible leadership.
# The Anambra State AIDS Control Agency (ANSACA) has extended its community HIV testing and awareness campaign to members of the Kenora Fitness Team during their routine fitness exercise at Krush Entertainment Centre, Awka.
The outreach featured free HIV testing and counselling, viral hepatitis and malaria screening, vital signs checks, health education, as well as the distribution of free condoms and lubricants.
The Executive Director of ANSACA, Dr. Nkem Okeke, described the outreach as “Fitness in Sound Health,” emphasizing that physical fitness should go hand-in-hand with regular health screening, HIV prevention and responsible health choices.
The ANSACA team was warmly received by the CEO of Kenora Fitness, Ikenna Ken Ekwearo. He commended the ANSACA team for the initiative, expressing their hope to see more of such impactful programmes in the future.
# The Member representing Awka North and Awka South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Prof. Oby Lilian Orogbu, has empowered over 500 constituents with vehicles, business equipment, vocational tools and educational support aimed at reducing poverty, creating wealth and promoting self-reliance.
The second phase of the empowerment programme, themed “Empowering Communities, Building Futures,” attracted a large gathering of beneficiaries, political leaders, traditional rulers, community stakeholders, religious leaders and party faithful from across the constituency.
The beneficiaries received cars, shuttle buses, tricycles (Keke), motorcycles, sewing machines, grinding machines, deep freezers, 2KVA and 1KVA generating sets, among other empowerment items carefully selected to support transportation, small businesses, vocational enterprises and household income generation. Scholarships were also awarded to deserving students as part of the lawmaker’s commitment to expanding access to education.
Speaking during the event, Prof. Orogbu explained that the empowerment programme was her way of appreciating the thousands of supporters, volunteers and constituents who stood by her during the 2023 general elections.
According to her, although over 36,000 people voted for her and more than 5,000 supporters actively worked throughout the campaign, it would be practically impossible to accommodate everyone in one phase of the programme.
She therefore urged those who did not benefit in the current phase to remain patient, assuring them that another round of empowerment has already been scheduled for November 2026 to enable more constituents to benefit.
Prof. Orogbu charged the beneficiaries to make productive use of the items, emphasizing that the empowerment was designed not merely as a welfare package but as an economic intervention capable of improving livelihoods, creating employment opportunities and enhancing the living standards of families across Awka North and Awka South Federal Constituency.
She noted that sustainable empowerment remains one of the most effective approaches to tackling poverty, reducing youth unemployment and stimulating grassroots economic development.
# The Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Anambra State, Mrs Chinyere Esther Onyekesi, has intensified her advocacy for child protection and family welfare, taking the campaign against child abuse, domestic violence and crime to Catholic women during their August meetings at St. Anthony’s Parish, Ikenga, and St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Isuofia.
The Commissioner, who attended the August meeting of the Catholic Women Organisation (CWO) of St. Anthony’s Parish, Ikenga, commended the women for their commitment to the growth of their families and communities.
She urged them to remain strong pillars of moral upbringing, peacebuilding and social development, stressing that women have a critical role to play in protecting children and young people from negative influences.
Mrs Onyekesi encouraged the women to support government programmes focused on child protection, prevention of gender-based violence, family welfare and social development, assuring them of the commitment of the Ministry of Women and Social Welfare to improving the lives of women, children and vulnerable persons across Anambra State.
The Commissioner also joined the Isuofia Central Catholic Women Organisation (ICCWO) at its August meeting held at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Isuofia, where the issue of child protection and the growing need to shield children and young people from abuse, exploitation and criminal influences took centre stage.
Speaking at the gathering, Commissioner Onyekesi commended the leadership and members of ICCWO for their dedication to the advancement of women and the strengthening of families.
# The traditional ruler of Umuawulu community in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra, Igwe Joel Egwuonwu, has called on Governor, Chukwuma Soludo to urgently intervene in the ongoing lingering land dispute between the people of Enugwu and Umuenu quarters of the community.
Egwuonwu, who made the call while speaking with Journalists at his Palace in reaction to allegation level against him of being part of the crisis, accused land grabbers of fueling the crisis against the peace of the town.
The monarch said he was compelled to address the controversy following public protests and personal attacks allegedly directed at him and the traditional institution over the matter.
He noted that the ownership dispute was already before a court of competent jurisdiction in Awka and urged all parties to allow the judicial process to run its course.
