# The Ajalli Youth Organisation (AYO) in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State has organised a one-day sensitisation programme on the dangers of illicit drug abuse for students of Community Secondary School, Ajalli.
The awareness campaign was aimed at educating students on the harmful effects of drug abuse and encouraging them to make positive life choices.
Speaking during the programme, the Youth President of AYO, Engr. Kingsley Ezeani, said the initiative was designed to create awareness about the growing menace of drug abuse among young people and to educate them on the long-term physical, mental and social consequences of using illicit substances.
Ezeani stressed that the campaign was intended to enlighten students on the dangers associated with drug abuse and the importance of resisting peer pressure.
He urged the students to avoid possessing or using any form of illicit drugs, advising them to remain focused on their studies and work towards achieving academic excellence and building brighter futures that would make their families, community and society proud.
# Governor Chukwuma Soludo says Anambra State is well ahead of other states in Nigeria in terms of a well-thought-out plan that would proficiently engage the youths to become self-reliant.
Represented by his Deputy, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim, at the ASUU Secretariat, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, during the 127th Inaugural Lecture of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Governor Soludo called on the private sector to join the government in encouraging ‘Igba Boi, which he said has remained an informal business school that develops human capital, Small and Medium Enterprises, and sustainable livelihoods across South-East Nigeria, a reason, he said, his government wasted no time in enacting a law to make it more official and easier for apprentices.
While declaring the event open, the Vice Chancellor of UNIZIK, Professor Stanley Anyaechie, described as apt the theme of the event, “Navigating The Labyrinth Of SME Development In Nigeria: Unveiling An Improved Model Of Igbo Apprenticeship Scheme As A Mitigant”, saying that the institution has been in the forefront of developing templates that strengthen societal growth.
Delivering the lecture, Professor Chinedu Onyeizugbe of the Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Management Sciences, highlighted the various benefits of local apprenticeship, its challenges and solutions based on numerous research he carried out, and urged the Anambra State Government to continue with its ‘One Youth Two Skills’ initiative, which he said has produced a lot of millionaires, and noted that the model has been copied by the Federal Government and many states in Nigeria as the way to go if youths must be gainfully employed.
Professor Onyeizugbe, who is the Chairman of the _One Youth Two Skills_ Programme 1.0 and 2.0, listed some innovations that would further enhance the scheme.
# Residents of Umusiome Community in Nkpor, Idemili North Local Government Area, have appealed to the Anambra State Government to urgently intervene in the persistent flooding and gully erosion threatening lives, property and critical infrastructure in the area.
The residents invited the Commissioner for Works, Architect Okey Ezeobi, and the Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Clem Aguiyi, to inspect the flood-ravaged Ogbeudo Road and the gully erosion site within the Government Technical College (GTC), Nkpor.
Speaking during the inspection, the Chairman of Umusiome Central Landlords Association, Chief Daniel Alaneme, the Chairman of the Inspection Organising Committee, Mr. Remy Ozoemena Nwachi, and the President-General of Nkpor, Chief Godwin Amadike, appealed to the commissioners to facilitate urgent intervention to control the erosion and reconstruct the Ogbeudo–GTC–Ogidi road network.
They explained that residents and landlords had spent millions of naira through self-help efforts to control the floodwaters flowing from Ogbeudo Road towards Ogidi and Abatete. Despite these efforts, they said the roads had deteriorated beyond what the community could manage, making them almost impassable for motorists and pedestrians.
Responding, Commissioner for Works, Arc. Okey Ezeobi, assured the community that Governor Chukwuma Soludo had already approved the area for intervention under the first phase of the state’s road projects. He added that the Ogbeudo Road would be considered among roads slated for reconstruction.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Clem Aguiyi, condemned the indiscriminate dumping of refuse along the erosion-prone Ogbeudo Road, warning that the practice worsens flooding by blocking drainage channels and forcing floodwaters to create destructive alternative paths.
Aguiyi urged residents who pay waste management levies to hold their local government authorities and waste contractors accountable for proper refuse disposal, rather than dumping waste into drains.
# The Anambra State Government has appointed United States-based infectious disease specialist, Prof. Chinelo Ngozi Animalu, as Special Assistant to the Governor on HIV Diaspora Coordination and Development.
The appointment, approved by Governor Chukwuma Soludo, reflects the administration’s commitment to leveraging global partnerships and the expertise of Anambra professionals in the diaspora to strengthen healthcare delivery across the state.
In her new role, Prof. Animalu will coordinate diaspora partnerships, mobilize international resources and technical expertise, and develop sustainable strategies to enhance Anambra’s HIV response and improve healthcare outcomes.
Prof. Animalu is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, United States, and also holds senior medical leadership positions within the Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare System.
# The Anambra State House of Assembly Committee on Works and Infrastructure has directed the contractor handling the ongoing erosion control project at Umugama, Ire Village, Abba, in Njikoka Local Government Area, to correct defects observed in parts of the drainage construction.
The directive followed an inspection visit by members of the committee, led by its Chairman, Hon. Emma Nwafor, to assess the quality and progress of work on the erosion control project.
During the inspection, the lawmakers identified areas of concern in the drainage construction and instructed the contractor to immediately rectify the defects and ensure the project conforms to approved specifications.
Speaking during the visit, Hon. Nwafor stressed the importance of delivering quality infrastructure, noting that the erosion control project is vital to safeguarding lives and property in a community that has battled severe erosion for decades.
Also speaking, the Deputy Majority Leader and Member representing the area, Hon. Jude Akpua, said the Umugama erosion site has for years caused extensive damage to homes, farmlands, and public infrastructure, including a major road linking Njikoka and Dunukofia constituencies, disrupting movement and economic activities.
Responding, the contractor, Mr. Gozie Igwe, assured the committee that all identified defects would be corrected promptly and that the project would be completed in line with the required standards and specifications.
# In a major boost to its internationalization drive under the leadership of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ugochukwu Bond Stanley Anyaehie, Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, has formally joined the Consortium of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Universities, a prestigious global network of higher institutions committed to advancing international cooperation in education, research, innovation, and cultural exchange.
The milestone achievement further underscores Prof. Anyaehie’s vision of positioning UNIZIK as a globally competitive university and creates new opportunities for strategic partnerships, academic excellence, and international engagement.
Through its membership of the consortium, UNIZIK now gains access to collaborative opportunities with 74 universities across Asia and Europe, opening pathways for joint research, faculty and student exchanges, technology transfer, capacity development, and international academic programmes.
In addition, the University is exploring emerging partnerships in Artificial Intelligence (AI) with universities in China, Turkey, and Italy, a development expected to strengthen UNIZIK’s capacity in digital innovation, advanced research, and future-oriented education.
The achievement also brings enhanced support for the University’s Confucius Institute, providing greater opportunities for language education, cultural exchange, international scholarships, and deeper engagement with global academic communities.
# The Anambra State Government has commenced the procurement and distribution of essential medicines, surgical materials, consumables and medical equipment to strengthen its Free Antenatal Care (ANC) and Delivery Services Programme, in a move aimed at improving maternal and child health outcomes across public health facilities in the state.
The latest intervention is to enhance the capacity of government-owned hospitals to provide safe pregnancies, quality deliveries, emergency obstetric care and newborn services and to ensure that healthcare workers have the necessary supplies to deliver uninterrupted and effective care.
The procurement covers a comprehensive range of medical items required for routine antenatal care, normal deliveries, caesarean sections and emergency obstetric services.
These include intravenous fluids, antibiotics, anaesthetic drugs, sutures, syringes, cannulas, surgical consumables, laboratory reagents, disinfectants, diagnostic materials and other essential medicines critical to maternal healthcare.
As part of efforts to improve the health of expectant mothers throughout pregnancy, the government is also procuring antenatal medications, including iron and folic acid supplements, calcium tablets, vitamin C, multivitamins and other routine medications prescribed during pregnancy.
To further strengthen diagnostic services and infection prevention, health facilities will receive laboratory test kits, glucose preparations, detergents, methylated spirit, partographs, spinal needles and other consumables required for quality maternal and newborn care.
# The Chairman and Mayor of Anambra-East Local Government Area of Anambra State, Hon. Sir Ifeanyi Chinweze has assured Umuoba-Anam community of government response to the failing two storey classroom building at Community Secondary School Umuoba-Anam.
Chinweze in an interview stated that government has taken note of the dilapidating classroom structures and will respond to it with lasting remedial actions to forestall any catastrophe that may arise in the future.
Chinweze urged the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA), Community Town Unions, Community Opinion Leaders, Legislators at the federal and state levels to take ownership of state government projects and programmes in their respective communities.
# In a significant move to unify the party base ahead of the 2027 general elections, the APGA candidate for the Federal House of Representatives, Awka North and South, Hon. Obby Nwankwo, hosted a high-level appreciation visit yesterday at the Local Government Secretariat in Achalla.
The event honored the APGA party faithful in Awka North for their decisive support during the recent party primary elections held across Anambra State. The gathering served as both a celebration of the internal democratic process and a strategic rally to align stakeholders for the upcoming national campaigns.
Addressing the crowd, Hon. Nwankwo emphasized the necessity of a united front. “The primary election was an internal democratic exercise, and that chapter has now successfully closed. Our collective task now is to bridge any gaps, strengthen our unity, and mobilize full support for all APGA candidates—from the Senate to the State House of Assembly—as we march toward 2027,” Hon. Obby Nwankwo states.
He further reaffirmed his commitment to a “transformation agenda” designed to meet the specific aspirations of ndi Awka North and South constituents, positioning his campaign as a vehicle for grassroots-focused development.
The visit concluded with a strong sense of reconciliation and renewed optimism, setting a collaborative tone for the campaign season.
# The Catholic Women Organisation (CWO), Awka Diocese has commenced its 2026 August Meeting with a call on mothers to take deliberate steps toward restoring family values and raising morally upright children.
The call was made during the opening ceremony of the annual gathering held at Cana House, Awka, which attracted women from parishes across the diocese for spiritual reflection and discussions on family life and Christian values.
Delivering a homily at the Holy Mass preceding the event, the Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Paulinus Ezeokafor, represented by the Chancellor of the Diocese, Charles Ndubuisi, described the family as the foundation of society and urged mothers to guide their children in the fear of God.
He attributed the growing rate of social vices and moral decline among young people largely to inadequate parental guidance, noting that many parents now devote more time to economic pursuits than to the upbringing of their children. He urged mothers to pay closer attention to their children’s moral and spiritual development.
Earlier, the Director of CWO Awka Diocese, Lady Ngozi Muo, described the August Meeting as a period of spiritual renewal, reflection and fellowship. She said the organization remained committed to strengthening families, promoting Christian values and supporting vulnerable members of society, while encouraging participants to foster peace, family unity and community development.
