HURRICANE NEWS.

  Iyom The Female Warrior  At 54 By Okey Maduforo. She  stepped into the Anambra political stage learning the ropes in a terrain full of high flyers, and most political watchers felt, as it were, that coming from the banking sector, she may not stand the heat in the “kitchen.” On her first journey to the Green Chambers in 2007, she indeed made a statement that sent signals to pundits that she had come to stay. Many who may have run away with the erroneous impression that she was a pushover came to terms with the stark realities that their permutations were dead on arrival. After eight years at the Green Chambers, she had built for herself one of the most formidable and well-oiled political structures ever in the history of Anambra politics. Still not done yet, the Lily of the National Assembly, Sen. Uche Liliana Ekwunife, made a foray into the Red Chambers, which is the Nigerian Senate. Though her first term was short-lived, no thanks to the litany of litigations that tra...

  Anambra: Soludo Determined To  Complete 621km road projects, Gets Second Term Endorsement By Nkiru Nwagbo Awka. Anambra  state Commissioner for Works, Engr Ifeanyi Okoma has disclosed that the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) led government had awarded a total of 621. 649 kilometers of roads out of which 316 kilometers have been completed while others are at various stages of being completed. In an interview with journalists during a three-day media tour of projects sites executed by the governor, Engr  Okoma said Soludo’s 50 years vision for  development of Anambra aims at building a livable and prosperous home land, and to move the state from a departure lounge to a destination centre. The Commissioner insisted that the government did not borrow  money from anywhere  for the project, adding that the contractors are not owed. Meanwhile, stakeholders and residents of the state have urged Governor Soludo to scale up the fight against insecurity ...

UNIZIK VC tussle: Odoh sues FUGUS over denial of professorship, employment status NKIRU NWAGBO.  AWKA Embattled and sacked 7th Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (UNIZIK), Professor Benard Odoh has instituted legal actions against the management of Federal University, Gusau (FUGUS) over alleged denial of his professorial appointment and employment status.   In a statement on Wednesday, signed by his Personal Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Charles Otu, he said Odoh instituted the legal action at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), with suit number NICN/ ABJ/ 434/ 2024.   He said, though no date has been fixed for the hearing, Odoh will leave no stone unturned to seek legal redress in a court of competent jurisdiction “on the very weighty and damaging allegations against his person and unblemished records, accusing the management of being in league with politicians to nail and pitch him not just against the academic community, but the rest...

  Soludo Presents 2025 Budget Of N606 Billion. Appropriates N42 Billion For Security  NKIRU NWAGBO Gov Charles Soludo of Anambra on Tuesday presented the sum of N606 billion as appropriation for the year 2025 to the Anambra state House of Assembly. Following the security challenges in the state the sum of N42 Billion was appropriated for security aimed at giving bite to the fight against insecurity in the state. A break down of the security budget indicates that the sum of N 1.2 billion was appropriated for the 2024 while for the year 2025 the sum of N2.7 Billion was appropriated. Similarly the budget for the governor's security vote was increased from N17  Billion in 2024 to N 25 Billion for 2025 . According to Soludo while presenting the budget;  "On November 21, 2023, I was here to present the 2024 Anambra State Budget entitled “Changing Gears: The Transformation Agenda Begins”, which you passed into law" "We presented a modest budget of N410 billion for the fisca...

  Gunmen kill four Vigilante,set vehicles ablaze in two Anambra communities . NKIRU NWAGBO, AWKA At least four members of the Anambra Vigilante Services AVS were this Monday morning killed by gunmen at Ukpo and Abatete Communities in Anambra state. Similarly two persons escaped dead from the incident with one suspected to be a President General of one of the communities while scores were injured during the incident. The gunmen after killing the three AVS members at Ukpo  set their operational vehicle ablaze and took off while about seven people where also injured in the attack. An eyewitness had it that the gunmen had stormed the Ukpo round about shooting sporadically and one sighting a sienna bus carting the members of the Vigilante Services opened fire on them leading to the death of three personnel . According to him ; "They came from nowhere shooting sporadically and chanting no Biafra No Freedom" and people started running for safety "  It was not clear if the suspe...

  Soludo, Mbah  pledge support to UNIZIK new VC NKIRU NWAGBO. AWKA. Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo and his Enugu State counterpart, Dr Peter Mbah have pledged their solidarity and support to the administration and broad vision of the Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Professor Benard Odoh. Both Governors spoke Saturday morning during a courtesy call to the Vice Chancellor while attending the 13th edition Annual Zik Lecture Series holding at the Awka main campus of the university. Governor Soludo represented by his Deputy, Dr Onyeka Ibezim expressed optimism that the new Vice-Chancellor will fulfill his plans for the institution. Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah also commended the new Vice-Chancellor for his foresight and lofty visions for the university and promised the readiness of his government to partner with the institution to ensure a successful era. He said he has no doubt in the capacity of the Vice-Chancellor to put the institution on a ...

  UNIZik VC Debunks Allegations Over Professorship. NKIRU NWAGBO, AWKA Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka Prof Benard Odoh has described reports of not being a Professor as false, insisting that he was made Professor before contesting for the position. Odoh further stated that all other allegations against him were not only false but unfounded urging the public to disregard  them. At a press briefing held in Awka, Anambra State, yesterday  the Personal Assistant for Media and Publicity to the Vice Chancellor, Mr. Charles Otu, emphasized that;  "The race for the seventh substantive Vice Chancellor was concluded on October 29, 2024, with Prof. Odoh emerging on top with 90 points. " A National Industrial Court in Awka validated the Governing Council's scoring templates, and the Ambassador Greg Mbadiwe-led Governing Council ensured fair hearing, responding to the Medical and Dental Council Association of Nigeria's concerns. "Prof. Odoh boasts an impres...

  IGP urges collaboration towards prioritising school protection nationwide NKIRU NWAGBO,  AWKA 30/10/2024 Inspector-General of Police, IG Kayode Egbetokun urged collaboration among stakeholders towards prioritising security and protection of schools across the country. Egbetokun stated this yesterday at police force strategic stakeholders forum for security of schools in Anambra State and training of the schools protection squad (SPS) held in Awka. The theme for the forum is "strengthening security resilience and integration of host communities in the protection of education". According to him, the police have kick-started the process by establishing SPS and training of State coordinators and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) nationwide, and required collaborations of the host communities, including teachers, community leaders, parents, institutions and others. The IG, represented by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police Zone 13 Ukpo, Godwin Aghaulor, explained that it w...

IGP urges collaboration towards prioritising school protection nationwide NKIRU NWAGBO,  Inspector-General of Police, IG Kayode Egbetokun urged collaboration among stakeholders towards prioritising security and protection of schools across the country. Egbetokun stated this yesterday at police force strategic stakeholders forum for security of schools in Anambra State and training of the schools protection squad (SPS) held in Awka. The theme for the forum is "strengthening security resilience and integration of host communities in the protection of education". According to him, the police have kick-started the process by establishing SPS and training of State coordinators and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) nationwide, and required collaborations of the host communities, including teachers, community leaders, parents, institutions and others. The IG, represented by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police Zone 13 Ukpo, Godwin Aghaulor, explained that it was parts of effort...