TheNewsGuru

Tag: Anambra

  • BREAKING: It’s season of retrenchment in Anambra as Gov Soludo again fires 21 transition Cttee chairmen

    BREAKING: It’s season of retrenchment in Anambra as Gov Soludo again fires 21 transition Cttee chairmen

    It’s a season of retrenchment in Anambra State as barely 72hours after 221 staff of a government parastatal were fired, Governor Chukwuma Soludo has again sacked all the 21 local government transition chairmen in the state.

    The governor also asked the sacked chairmen to hand over the affairs of the councils to the Heads of Local Government Administrations (HLGAs).

    This was contained in a letter signed by the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Collins Nwabunwanne, dated May 17.

    The order, directed the chairmen to hand over to the HLGAs latest on Monday, May 20.

    The letter read: “Following the expiration of your tenure as Transition Committee Chairman, you are hereby directed to handover the affairs of your Local Government Council to the Head of Local Government Administration (HLGA), in your respective Local Government Councils.

    This directive takes effect from Monday, 20th day of May, 2024. Thank you for your service to the state.

    “All replies to be addressed to the Honourable Commissioner.”

    It was gathered that there were expectations that Soludo would conduct local government election in the state, based on the public outcry.

    The governor had he last week directed that party stakeholders should nominate candidates in their local government areas for transition committees.

    He said out of the three, one must be a woman from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) stakeholders.

    The message was conveyed to all the transition committee chairmen by the special adviser to the governor on polical matters, Dr. Alex Obiogbolu.

    The directive said: “The party stakeholders in each Local Government are expected to meet on May 18th or 19th 2024, to consider and recommend for his consideration, three persons for the position of TC Chairman and three persons for Local Government Education Secretaries.

    “The three recommendations for Transition Committee Chairmen shall include at least one woman; while the three recommendations for Education Secretary shall be two women and one man.”

    Anambra state is one of the states in the country where transition committee had become a norm.

    The last local government election was held by the former governor, Peter Obi, few weeks before the expiration of his second tenure

    As a result, opposition parties and major stakeholders had been calling for elections into the local government system, arguing that state governors had stifled local government system through transition committee chairmen

  • Obi of Onitsha announces fresh appointments into cabinet

    Obi of Onitsha announces fresh appointments into cabinet

    The Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, has announced the appointment of two new members of his cabinet.

    This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Osita Anionwu, Ike Akatakwuani/Chief of Staff to Obi of Onitsha, and made available to journalists on Friday in Onitsha.

    Anionwu stated that those appointed were Onwa Akpom of Omozele kindred group in Umuezearoli guarters and Ojinnaka Azikiwe who hails from Inosi Onira kindred group in Ogbeabo quarters.

    He said that Akpom was Attorney-at-law until his appointment, and recently, based in the U.S.

    According to him, Azikiwe, a finance professional with wide experience in the public sector, currently serves as Director of Budget; Treasury, in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission.

    He stressed that details of the investiture of the appointees would be provided in due course.

  • Abduction of Archbishop, wife, others took place in Anambra not Aba – Police

    Abduction of Archbishop, wife, others took place in Anambra not Aba – Police

    ASP Maureen Chinaka the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Abia State Police Command has clarified that the kidnapping of an Archbishop of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, Bishop Uka Uka Osim took place in Anambra State, not in Abia.

    According to him, the abduction of one of the Bishop Uka Uka Osim has been confirmed by one of the Bishops of the Church in Aba.

    However, the exact town or village in Anambra where the priests were kidnapped, was not disclosed.

    Her words: “Based on our findings, the alleged kidnap of the Archbishop of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star occurred in Anambra State.

    “This was confirmed by one of the Bishops of the church in Aba.”

    Archbishop Uka Uka Osim, his wife, Ann and son, Roland Uka Osim and three other priests of the church, were reportedly travelling from Abia State to Awka, Anambra State for a church program when they were abducted by unknown men.

    But the Abia Police spokesperson in the reaction, said that the incident happened outside Abia State.

    Meanwhile, the PPRO has said that investigation was ongoing in the case of one Mr Chibuzor Moses who was abducted by hoodlums at Umuojima, Osisioma Ngwa LGA of Abia State, recently.

    Moses, a businessman, was kidnapped by hoodlums who chased him into a church premises at Umuojima before bundling him away to an unknown place.

    Confirming the abduction, the PPRO said, “We have such reports at Osisioma Police Division and investigations are currently ongoing.”

  • May Day: Anambra workers express sadness over Soludo’s absence at rally ground

    May Day: Anambra workers express sadness over Soludo’s absence at rally ground

    The absence of Anambra state governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo at the worker’s day rally has angered the entirety of workers in the state.

    It was gathered that Soludo was represented at the Alex Ekwueme Square by Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim, the state Deputy Governor.

    According to the  workers, Soludo stayed away from the function because he was afraid of addressing the long list of needs presented by the NLC and TUC. They insisted he was not a worker friendly governor.

    Continuing, the workers said the governor’s absence was deliberate and initially refused to file out for the usual parade which has become synonymous with the rally.

    They repeatedly shouted “No” to appeals for them to file out for the parade, insisting that Soludo has never attended workers’ function since he became governor. They eventually grudgingly undertook the parade.

    The Deputy Governor who later addressed the protesting workers after several efforts to calm them, assured that their grievances would soon be addressed.

    He said: “Governor Soludo as a worker-friendly governor is aware of your plights. You will definitely hear from him soon.”

    Earlier, workers in the state had presented a long list of demands. They called on Soludo to suspend the deduction of the contributory pension from their salaries to ensure industrial harmony in the state.

    The state Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Humphrey Nwafor, said the workers are worried over what he called improper introduction and implementation of the contributory pension scheme.

    He said, “From the beginning of the scheme, monies deducted were rarely remitted to the Pension Fund Administrators (PFA).

    “Before the present administration came on board, the state were deducting only the workers part of the contribution even without remitting same to the various PFA’s and refused to pay the government part.

    “The organized labour is dissatisfied with the continued deduction even after the reoccurring May Day prayers by organized labour requesting for the suspension
    of the scheme.

    “We call on the governor, who we believe is not only worker friendly but hate injustice with passion, as a matter of urgency, to suspend the deduction of the contributory pension from the workers’ salary so as to ensure industrial harmony in the state.”

  • Five reported dead, several persons injured as security operatives, gunmen clash in Anambra

    Five reported dead, several persons injured as security operatives, gunmen clash in Anambra

    About five persons have been reported killed while several others got injured when security operatives and gunmen engaged themselves in exchange of fire  on Tuesday in Obofia Forest, Anambra state.

    It was gathered that the incident took place when the Anambra Joint Security Force, JSF, invaded two camps of the gunmen in Aguluezechukwu, Aguata council area and Ogboji, Orumba South council area respectively.

    Findings also show that during the raid by the security operatives, some items like locally fabricated rocket launchers, charms, police uniforms among others were recovered.

    However, Ikenga Tochukwu police chief in the state, hasn’t disclosed the casualty figures, it learnt that four gunmen and a police operative died during the shootout.

    A statement by the Police Command in Awka on Wednesday explained the hunt for the gunmen had been extended to Obofia Forest, Aguluezechukwu and Ogboji areas.
  • Odumeje issues stern warning to critics

    Odumeje issues stern warning to critics

    General Overseer of The Mountain of Holy Ghost Intervention and Deliverance Ministry, Chukwuemeka Cyril Ohanaemere, popularly known Odumeje, has issued a warning to those criticizing him.

    Addressing his members, Odumeje decried Nigerians making a mockery of him on social media.

    He vowed to summon his critics to the ‘citadel’, where they would see that true power exists.

    According to Odumeje: “If you speak against me in media, when I look at the video and watch the way you talk against me, lie. I don’t call police, I don’t call lawyer. I will summon you to citadel and to Santussanitorial. That’s where you will agree that there is power.”

    Recently, the Anambra-based cleric had dismissed widespread claims that he’s a fake prophet.

    Odumeje distanced himself from the use of fake powers or native doctors being the source of his power.

    This followed a warning by gospel singer, Dunsin Oyekan that Christians should be weary of the ‘abido shaker’ trend, stressing that it makes a mockery of the Christian faith.

     

  • Another five-storey building collapses in Anambra

    Another five-storey building collapses in Anambra

    The Police Command in Anambra has confirmed the collapse of a five-storey building under construction at Basden Street in Fegge, the commercial city of Onitsha, Anambra.

    On Sunday, the command Public Relations Officer, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, who confirmed the incident to NAN, said details of the collapsed building were still sketchy.

    According to him, our operatives are currently there now, though the details are still sketchy, as soon as I get the full details I will get back to you,” he said.

    An eye witness, who pleaded anonymity, said that the building was meant to serve as commercial purposes on completion.

    The source said that the building collapsed in the early hours of Sunday while some of the construction workers were on the last floor.

    “The building started from the fifth floor to collapse. The building is at the finishing touches and the fifth floor was almost finished when it collapsed and other floors followed suit.

    “There are about two workers in the building that are trapped and those injured have been rushed to undisclosed hospitals,” the source said.

    Chinyere Nwoyethe, the Public Relations Officer of Anambra State Emergency Management Agency, said that they were yet to be informed about the collapsed building.

    The incident happened barely two weeks after a building collapsed killing five persons in Ochanja Market, Onitsha.

  • Anambra building collapse: Soludo expresses sadness, confirms five dead

    Anambra building collapse: Soludo expresses sadness, confirms five dead

    Gov. Charles Soludo of Anambra has expressed sadness following the tragic building collapse at Odu-Igbo Market, Ochanja, Anambra, that claimed five lives.

    Soludo, while addressing residents at the scene of the incident, on Tuesday, announced that 26 individuals had been rescued and hospitalized, while five persons died.

    He said that rescue efforts were ongoing to locate those still trapped under the rubbles.

    The governor described the incident as tragic and an incident that was not supposed to happen, as he emphasized his commitment in tackling the issue of illegal constructions and impunity in the state.

    He revealed that the collapsed building was erected by a private developer without government’s approval.

    According to him, the contractor at his own cost will come and put down the illegal buildings he erected here.

    “They are all going to come down. My government did not approve of this building. We will redesign this area and build it properly.

    “All buildings constructed without proper approval will be brought down henceforth, including structures currently under construction at other markets,” he said.

    Earlier, the Chairman of Ochanja Market, Mr Bonaventure Mmuo, thanked Soludo for his prompt intervention, pledging to disseminate the governor’s message to all market leaders in the state.

  • Anambra govt. bursts “baby factory”, rescue 6 pregnant teenagers

    Anambra govt. bursts “baby factory”, rescue 6 pregnant teenagers

    The Anambra State Government in collaboration with security operatives on Wednesday rescued six pregnant teenagers from ‘a baby-making factory’ at Umunya in Oyi Local Government Area of the state.

    Dr. Afam Obidike, the state Commissioner for Health, told journalists after the raid that the baby factory where babies were being sold had the name “Mother and Child Hospital and Maternity”.

    The baby factory is located at No 1, school road, Tansian University in Umunya.

    Obidike said that the state’s Health Facility, Accreditation and Monitoring Unit arrived the facility for its routine inspection when it burst the operation.

    He said that the nurses they saw locked up the facility and ran away after they requested to see the doctor on duty to find out why the facility was not registered with the state government.

    According to him, security operatives including OCHA-Brigade, Civil Defence Corps, and the Police later assisted the monitoring team in gaining access into the facility.

    “When we gained access into the facility, what we saw was shocking. We discovered six underaged pregnant girls, within ages 14, 15,16, 17, and 21 years, allegedly camped against their wish.

    “We interviewed these girls and they told us that they were being camped by one self-acclaimed doctor, who they identified as Mr Odili Ossai from Delta State, now at large.

    “They said when they deliver the babies, Ossai, who owns the facility, will sell the babies.

    “Five persons have been arrested in connection with the `factory’ and the police will carry out further investigation,” he said.

    Obidike reaffirmed the commitment of Gov. Charles Soludo’s administration in stamping out fake and quack hospitals across the state.

    “Under the state’s Health Facility Accreditation and Monitoring Unit, we have equally established the state’s Illegal and Anti-Quackery Taskforce Team.

    “The primary objective of the taskforce team is to eliminate illegal and unethical sharp practices within health facilities and enhance the quality of healthcare services in the state.

    “The state government is determined to eliminate all illegal health facilities and quackery.

    “It is also worthy to note that the state ministry of health has successfully built a database and website, where people can easily have access to approved and registered health facilities in the state,” he said.

    The commissioner urged residents to report any illegal activities, malpractices or concerns related to healthcare services in the state.

    Also speaking, Dr Ugochukwu Chukwulobelu, Director, Medical Services, cautioned other fake and quack doctors operating in the state to shut down immediately.

    According to him, if caught, they will face the full wrath of the law.

  • Anambra govt arrests woman for planning to sell 2 sons for N2m

    Anambra govt arrests woman for planning to sell 2 sons for N2m

    Anambra government has arrested a 38-year-old woman for attempting to sell her nine-year-old and seven-year-old sons for N1 million each.

    Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Mrs Ify Obinabo, told newsmen on Wednesday in Awka that the woman’s eldest daughter, a 17-year-old, was also arrested for being part of the scheme.

    Obinabo said the accused and her eldest daughter were arrested when she (the commissioner) posed as a potential buyer of the boys after she got the hint of the transaction.

    “I heard about the transaction and decided to pose as a buyer. The suspect told me she would sell the boys at the sum of N2 million but after serious negotiations, she settled for N1.8 million.

    “The culprits stay at Okija in Ihiala Local Government Area of the state, but we lured them to Awka to seal the transaction and they were eventually arrested.

    “The state government condemns this kind of act and will continue to intensify efforts to eradicate such crimes.

    “The suspects will be handed over to the police and will be prosecuted accordingly,’’ she said.

    Fielding questions from newsmen, the suspect, an indigene of Ozubulu in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra, said she decided to sell the two boys because of economic hardship.

    She said she has 11 children, but could not afford to cater for them, hence her decision.

    “I had only two kids before the death my husband and had the other nine children for other men. Ever since, it has been difficult to adequately care to and support them.

    “This is my first attempt. I only developed interest in the business of selling children after my neighbour successfully sold one of her kids.

    “I planned to do the business alongside my eldest daughter because the money will also be used to advance her tertiary education,’’ she said.

    After the suspect fielded the questions, the commissioner ordered that her other children be taken into the state government’s custody for proper care.

    Obinabo said that plans were underway to arrest the suspect’s neighbour after which contact tracing would follow to retrieve the child she sold.