* Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo has announced the new policy of free education for senior secondary students in all public schools in the state.
Governor Soludo gave the disclosure at Professor Dora Akunyili Women’s Development, Awka, while exchanging views with principals and head teachers in all public schools in the state.
This is in addition to the ongoing policy of free education for pupils from kindergarten to JSS 3.
The Governor equally directed that senior secondary students who have paid their school fees for the term should be refunded their monies.
* As schools resume in Anambra State, the Manager/Principal of St.Patrick’s College Awka, Rev. Fr. Paschal Udo says the institution met all requirements in terms of their pre resumption meeting for teachers, orientation exercises for the new intakes in the school, and their parents,and resumption tests for the students.
Fr. Udo said the College took the 1st position in the state this year in the German/Chinese languages competition organized by the Stelated-Bilateral Educational Consultancy, a foreign Firm based in Nigeria.
The Manager charged the teachers to aim at more academic excellence and moral probity to advance the academic and intellectual property of the students and the standard of the College.
* Anambra State Commissioner for Information, Dr Law Mefor has expressed Governor Soludo’s commitment to giving sports its primacy of place in the state.
Receiving members of the Sports Writers Association (SWAN), Anambra State Chapter, who paid him a courtesy visit at his office in Awka, Dr Mefor noted that with the return of school sports, the governor is already making way for sports excellence in the future.
According to him, the performance of Team Anambra in the just concluded National Youth Games, where Anambra bagged nine gold, 9 silver and eight bronze is a testament of the Governor’s good works in sports development.
The commissioner, who expressed the ministry’s readiness to partner with SWAN, urged the members to make formal requests regarding the installation of the Governor as their Grand Patron as obtainable in other states, among other issues.
Earlier, the SWAN Chairman, Anambra State, Chimezie Anaso expressed the association’s commitment to promoting Governor Soludu’s administration through positive reportage of his moderate strides in the sports sector.
* The newly appointed Commander, 302 Artillery Regiment, Nigerian Army Onitsha, Col. Adamu Kabir Muhammad has lauded the tireless efforts of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in enhancing the security of lives and property in Anambra State.
This praise came on when Muhammad paid a familiarization visit to Commandant Maku Olatunde, the State Commandant of NSCDC at the Command Headquarters in Awka, Anambra State.
Colonel Muhammad acknowledged the strong partnership between the two agencies and pledged to further strengthen their collaboration, effectively tackling security concerns and fostering a tranquil atmosphere for Anambra residents.
Responding, Comdt. Maku emphasized the importance of inter – agency cooperation in combating insecurity in some volatile areas of the state. He appreciated the support of the Nigerian Army to the NSCDC stating that such synergy will further boast the operational capabilities, intelligence sharing and capacity building among the two agencies.
* In furtherance to the vision of Governor Chukwuma Soludo to advance the welfare of Anambra’s elderly population, Commissioner for Special Duties, Hon Beverly Ikpeazu-Nkemdiche has inauguarted the state’s technical team on ageing.
The team is headed by Nigeria’s former Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Iyom Josephine Anenih who is also the Co-Chair amd Facilitator National Senior Citizens Centre, NSCC Consultative Forum on Ageing for Anambra State.
The team draws members from the NSCC Consultative Forum on Ageing for Anambra State and the Ministry of Special Duties.
Inaugurating the team, Commissioner Ikpeazu-Nkemdiche charged the members to bring their wealth of experience and expertise to bear to help in the development and domestication of the National Senior Citizens Centre Act and National Policy on Ageing in Anambra State.
* As part of its anti-corruption campaign in Anambra State, the Rule of Law and Anti Corruption Programme (RoLAC) programme has established the Civil Society Organisation and Media Accountability and Anti-Corruption Network on System Strengthening Against Corruption in the area.
The network will act as a veritable tool to amplify citizens’ voices and concerns; provide independent monitoring and oversight of diverse operations of the government; harness the collective power of civil society, advocate for policy reforms, and mobilize citizens to enhance public awareness and education on anti-corruption issues.
The network was established during a meeting of Civil society and media convened by the RoLAC programme Phase II, funded by the European Union and implemented in Nigeria by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IIDEA).
* An illustrious son of Urum community in Awka North Local Goverment Area, Sir Felix Oranye, has led over 100 of his supporters to formally join the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.
The formal induction of the people held at Akitinyi village square in Urum was attended by the member representing Awka North State Constituency in Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon. Chimezie Ikwunne, APGA Chairmanship candidate for Awka North Local Goverment, Mr. Thankgod Anago, Anambra State Secretary of the party, Sir Levi Obiaduo, Chairman of the party in the Local Government Area, Mr James Onwuka, among other party executive, stakeholders and members of the party in Urum.
Speaking after he was decorated with APGA uniform, Oranye said he has been supporting APGA, but decided to become an active member of the party because of the good works of the Soludo administration.
* Clinical lecturers under the aegis of Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Unizik Awka have embarked on an indefinite.
The lecturers under the body of all Medical and Dental Specialists with Medical Fellowship announced the commencement of the strike in a Statement issued in Awka on Wednesday.
The Statement was signed by Dr Victor Modekwe and Dr Sunday Oriji, MDCAN-NAUTH Chairman and Secretary respectively.
The ongoing industrial action entails the withdrawal of all the medical/clinical lecturers from the Faculties of Medicine, Basic Clinical Sciences and Basic Medical Sciences from all academic functions.
* The Acting Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Prof. Carol Arinze-Umobi, has graciously approved the waiving of tuition fees for staff members enrolled in postgraduate programs, starting from the 2024/2025 academic session.
This decision was formally announced in a memo issued by the Ag Registrar, Rev. Sam Ufoh, addressed to the university community.
The memo stated: “The University wishes to inform all staff members, both teaching and non-teaching, that beginning with the 2024/2025 academic session, the institution will cover the tuition fees for any staff member pursuing postgraduate studies at Nnamdi Azikiwe University.”
* The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Anambra State, Prof. Sylvia Ifemeje and members of the Bureau of Missing Persons have visited the International Commission of Missing Persons (ICMP), Hagues, Netherlands.
The visit was to underscore the State Bureau of Missing Persons Operandi for its effective and smooth operation of the Bureau in the state..
This was made known during the meeting with the members of the Bureau of Missing Persons held at the Conference Hall of the Ministry of Justice.
Speaking, Prof. Ifemeje noted that there is need for legislative and institutional initiatives which ICMP has undertaken in other countries that helped its authorities to establish a sustainable and effective processes so as to locate large number of missing persons around the globe.
