Anambra Broadcasting Service

South-East Speakers Meet in Awka For Zonal Legislative Conference, Tour Anambra Projects

By Emmanuel Chigbata (House of Assembly Correspondent)

The Speaker, Anambra State House of Assembly, Right Honourable Somtochukwu Udeze, and members of the Eighth Assembly have received the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, South-East Zone, for the South-East Zonal Conference holding in Awka.

Right Honourable Udeze, who is the Zonal Vice Chairman of the Conference, welcomed the Speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly, Right Honourable Uche Ugwu, and his Ebonyi State counterpart, Right Honourable Moses Odunwa, to Anambra.

Speaker Udeze also led his counterparts on a facility tour of Solution Fun City and Anambra Country Club, where they inspected some of the facilities and projects of Anambra state government.

The visiting Speakers expressed satisfaction with the level of development and the massive facilities in the state, commending Anambra State Government for its investments in infrastructure and other areas of development.

The conference, which brings together Speakers of State Houses of Assembly from the South-East, is themed “Legislative Review and Standardization of Procedures Across South-East States.”

The meeting is expected to provide an opportunity for the Speakers to deliberate on legislative procedures, strengthen collaboration among South-East legislatures and promote uniformity and efficiency in legislative practices across the region.

OCHA Brigade’s Mandate Goes Beyond Street Enforcement —Acting MD, Agbaefuna

By Chibuzo Obidike (ABS NEWS)

Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra, OCHA Brigade, says its responsibilities extend beyond routine street enforcement to include the enforcement of environmental, sanitation and public-order regulations across the state.

This is according the Acting Managing Director, Mr Anthony Agbaefuna, who in a press statement today restated the organization's readiness to fully implement the laws setting it up.

Mr Agbaefuna explained that under the Anambra State Environmental Management, Protection and Administration Law 2024, the Brigade is empowered to facilitate the arrest and prosecution of persons involved in illegal street trading and hawking, construction of structures on drainages, walkways and water channels, indiscriminate refuse disposal, unauthorised defecation and urination, vandalism of government property and other environmental offences.

He added that the Brigade is also responsible for enforcing compliance with monthly environmental sanitation, ensuring the cleanliness and desilting of gutters and drainages, controlling overgrown vegetation around residential and business premises, and collaborating with relevant government agencies on environmental matters.

The Acting Managing Director further listed the statutory responsibilities of the brigade to cover maintaining order around markets, addressing activities that cause road gridlock around market areas, enforcing payment of applicable state levies and tackling illegal revenue collection while calling for public cooperation and support to help in achieving the objectives of environmental protection and public order.

ANSACA Conducts HIV, Other Disease Tests For Naira Rice Workers.

By Chukwuemeka Modilim (ABS News)

The Anambra State AIDS Control Agency (ANSACA) has conducted HIV and other disease tests for workers at Naira Rice Industry aimed at ensuring the safety of the area.

The programme led by the Executive Director of ANSACA, Dr. Nkem Okeke saw his team test the workers and their management for HIV, tuberculosis and screened them of HepatitIs B and C, put them through HIV prevention protocols as well as encouraged them to know their status.

Speaking to journalists after the programme, Dr. Okeke said that a work place deserves a healthy workforce as workplaces where one could easily contract HIV disease if not properly screened, will put many lifes at risk.

According to him, anywhere the agency found people to be HIV positive, they will be linked to sustainable care, saying that Governor Chukwuma Soludo has directed ANSACA to begin a massive sensitzation and awareness across all the work places in Anambra, and to achieve this task, ANSACA will sign a memorandum of understanding with the Ministries of Environment and Entertainment in coming days so that the agency will be fully integrated into all the places as necessary for it to deepen sensitzation and awareness.

The ANSACA boss assured that after the agency has conducted the HIV test on Naira Rice workers,they will convey the results appropriately with high level of confidentiality and professionalism to the clients and issue the company a certificate compliance showing that the place has been certified by ANSACA as a healthy workplace,even as he urged business owners, entrepreneurs to collaborate to collaborate with them to ensure a healthy workplace in Anambra.

In his remarks,the Chief Executive Officer of Naira Rice, Mr Arinze Omenwa described the programme as a well thought out initiative and appreciated Governor Chukwuma Soludo and ANSACA Boss, Dr. Okeke for their commitment to eliminating HIV in the state.

We Installed 245 CCTV Cameras, 400 Solar Streetlights, Built Three Kilometre Road —Ekwusigo Mayor, Obi tells Anambra Assembly Committee on LG, Chieftaincy

By Emmanuel Chigbata (House of Assembly Correspondent)

The Mayor of Ekwusigo Local Government Area, Hon. Chimezie Obi, says the council has installed 245 CCTV surveillance cameras and nearly 400 solar-powered streetlights at strategic locations across the area as part of efforts to strengthen security and maintain law and order.

Honourable Obi who also noted that the council also constructed three-kilometer road from Ozu- Enyaba Ozubulu to Ihembosi, disclosed this while highlighting the achievements of his administration to Anambra State House of Assembly Committee on Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs.

According to him, Ekwusigo was previously among eight local government areas affected by the activities of non-state actors, but the situation has changed.

He added that the council had also enacted and enforced a bye-law prohibiting open grazing of cattle and other livestock, which he said had helped prevent potential farmer-herder clashes.

On infrastructure, the mayor said the council had completed three-kilometre Market Junction–Ozu- Enyaba Ozubulu to Ihembosi Road, using cement stabilization, describing it as one of the busiest routes in the area and an easier route to Awka.

The mayor further said the council embarked on the opening and widening of old track roads, with 14 roads opened and widened to a minimum of 30 feet, as part of efforts to properly plan the area for future development.

He added that practical skills had also been introduced in the council's six public secondary schools, including tailoring for students in JS1 to JS3 and shoemaking for students in SS1 to SS3.

Earlier, the Chairman House Committee on LG, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Honourable Ebuka Igwe, Honourable Anayo Okpalaeke representing Aguata Constituency One, and Honourable Emma Nwafor representing Orumba South commended the Mayor for the huge achievements and development within few years in office.

Anambra Moves to Tackle Erosion Threat on Nnobi Ideani Road

By Chibuzo Obidike ( ABS News )

Anambra State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Arc. Okey Ezeobi, has inspected a landslide and erosion site threatening a section of the Nnobi-Ideani Road, with immediate intervention planned.

Ezeobi, accompanied by officials of the ministry and the road contractor, visited the affected section following concerns and videos circulating online about the erosion threat along the road.

The Commissioner said the inspection was aimed at assessing the extent of the damage and putting measures in place to prevent the erosion from further affecting the road.

He also inspected a proposed borrow pit where laterite would be sourced for backfilling and stabilising the affected gully.

According to Ezeobi, the government has identified the problem and is taking steps to address it.

He said work is expected to commence immediately to safeguard the affected portion of the road and maintain access for motorists and residents.