# Anambra State Government has officially flagged off a long-acting injectable for HIV prevention in the state, LENACAPAVIR (LEN PrEP), a vaccine advancing HIV prevention.
Speaking during the exercise, Anambra
State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike, opined that the direction towards HIV elimination is now prevention, and that the programme is an important aspect of strengthening HIV prevention among individuals and communities at high-risk levels.
The Health Commissioner warned that the drug is not to be sold or packaged for influential people, adding that people must know the value of the drugs, while thanking Governor Chukwuma Soludo for always supporting the ministry, even as he made it clear that Anambra is recording a high prevalence of HIV because many residents are testing and checking their status regularly.
In her remark, the Chief Medical Director of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Amaku Awka, Dr. Maureen Umeakuewulu, noted that the exercise is apt at this moment in time, as the country is witnessing an increasing rate of HIV prevalence among the adolescent population.
Dr. Umeakuewulu maintained that
prevention is very important, while commending President Bola Tinubu for considering Anambra as one of the eight states selected for the rollout of the programme and Governor Chukwuma Soludo for being proactive in governance.
# To empower farmers and ensure zero wastage of root crops such as cassava, yam, and potato, among others, a 15-tonnes-per-month Afrirootz Flour Factory has been commissioned at Akwaeze in Anaocha LGA, courtesy of Chief Ikenna Okafor, Chairman of Ideal Agro Allied Produce Limited, makers of Afrirootz.
Commissioning the facility, the Anambra State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Ben Odoemena, who appreciated Chief Okafor for taking the lead in agro-business investment, noted that the plan of the administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo is to industrialize agriculture and put more money in the pockets of farmers through private sector investment, value addition, and ensuring that agriculture is mechanized.
In his welcome address on behalf of the Board, Management, and Staff, the Chairman of Ideal Agro Allied Produce Limited, Chief Okafor, explained that the project represents the company’s commitment to agro-processing, job creation, and reducing post-harvest losses for cassava and other tubers, adding that the facility has a capacity of 15 tonnes per month at full operation.
While further noting that food security is necessary for any community to succeed, Chief Okafor expressed the hope that farmers in Akwaeze and environs will start earning foreign exchange through the sale of processed food, and called for collaboration to make the project thrive.
In her remark, the Technical Director of Ideal Agro Allied Produce Limited, Professor Nkiru Meludu, said efforts will be made to ensure best practices at all times in the operations of the facility, which she described as income-generating, just as the Anambra State Commissioner for Health and indigene of the community, Dr. Afam Obidike, commended the fact that food processed at the facility contains zero preservatives.
# While the APGA primaries for the Senate, House of Representatives, and House of Assembly recorded an impressive turnout of voters in Okpoko Wards 1, 4, and 5, a large number of members could not be accredited, as many arrived at their polling wards with either only their National Identity Cards, Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), or only their APGA membership cards.
INEC officials and party agents insisted that members must present both their Permanent Voter Cards and APGA membership cards before they could be allowed to vote.
At Unity Secondary School, Okpoko Ward 1, the exercise was temporarily halted as INEC officials left the venue following protests by members who argued that either the PVC or party membership card could be used for accreditation.
Meanwhile, at Community Primary School III, Ward 5, INEC officials were able to resolve the issue and commenced accreditation at 11:52 a.m., while as of 3:30 p.m., accreditation was still ongoing.
# The newly appointed Anambra State Commissioner for Transportation, Hon. Edward Ibuzo, has unveiled a plan to modernize the sector and improve mobility across the state.
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‎Speaking shortly after assuming office, Ibuzo said his administration will focus on building a safe, efficient, and modern transportation system to support economic growth and ease the movement of people and goods.
Ibuzo, maintained that his immediate priorities include: Strengthening traffic management, Enhancing road safety,
‎Upgrading transport infrastructure,
‎Introducing innovative policies to address long-standing challenges
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‎Ibuzo noted that major commercial hubs like Onitsha, Awka, and Nnewi require coordinated planning to reduce congestion and create a more organized transit environment for residents and visitors.
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‎He stressed the need for collaboration between the Ministry of Transportation, transport unions, security agencies, and private stakeholders to drive the government’s agenda.
# Residents of St John Street, Ifite Awka, and environs are counting their losses following the havoc wrecked by flood after a heavy downpour on Sunday night.
The flood invaded some churches, residential buildings, shops, access roads, and farmlands, pulled down perimeter fences, and destroyed household furniture and electronic gadgets.
A District Overseer of one of the affected churches, Rev. Sam Ufoh, whose church compound was completely flooded, while
commenting on the disaster, lamented that the flood entered the church building and destroyed musical instruments, documents, and other valuables.
Rev. Ufoh attributed the flooding to the blockage of the drainage system that channels water directly to the canal in the area by landlords who built indiscriminately on the waterways, which he said has become a serious threat to residents in the area.
He called on the Anambra State Government and the landlords to intervene immediately and restore the drainage system to ensure the free flow of water to the canal and save lives and property from flooding.
# Stakeholders of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) in Anambra State have expressed concern over what they described as attempts to undermine and sideline the party’s State Chairman, Mr. David Patrick Chukwudifu.
The concerns were raised during a peaceful rally held in Onitsha, where party supporters publicly declared their confidence in the Chairman.
Protesters carried placards condemning the alleged interference in the party’s State structure and accused Senator Tony Nwoye, representing Anambra North Senatorial District, of playing a role in the ongoing dispute.
Speaking to journalists during the rally, party stakeholder Mr. Stephen Ajaraogu said members would no longer accept what he termed persistent efforts to weaken the recognized leadership of the party in the State.
# Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor has lampooned all those clamouring for President Tinubu’s return, describing them as insensitive, selfish and heartless, noting that the President had not done anything to warrant a second term in office.
Bishop Ezeokafor in his homily, in
Amawbia Community, during the celebration of the 100 years of Catholicism in the town, said the incumbent President committed an impeachable offence for reneging on all his campaign promises, especially on power, wondering why there was so much borrowing in his administration.
Ezeokafor stated that it was the turn of Ndigbo to produce the President of Nigeria in 2027, and that Ndigbo must support their own.
He maintained that the 2027 Presidential Election was the collective project of Ndigbo, and they must support their own to become President of Nigeria.
# For more than a decade, Mrs. Nancy Onyebuchi Okafor has earned a living selling newspapers at the ever-busy Aroma Junction in Awka, Anambra State.
Every day, she opens her stand like countless other small business owners trying to survive the harsh realities of the economy.
But what began as an ordinary business day suddenly turned into a terrifying fight for survival when a violent electric spark from a faulty power facility nearly claimed her life.
Still visibly shaken by the experience, Mrs. Okafor narrated how she narrowly escaped death after an electricity installation belonging to First Power Distribution Company sparked violently at her business location, leaving her unconscious with burns on her body.
