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Author: Peter Okolie

  • NAFDAC seals 2 sachet water factories in Imo

    NAFDAC seals 2 sachet water factories in Imo

    Water
    By Peter Okolie
    Owerri, June 28, 2024 (NAN) The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has shut down two sachet water factories in Owerri for operating in unhygienic environments.

    The agency further cautioned another factory during the routine inspection carried out on Friday in the Imo capital city.

    The two affected factories included Elmabo Table Water and Sylchap Enterprise Table Water, while Giver Table Water was cautioned over minor issues.

    In an interview with newsmen at the end of the enforcement, the Imo NAFDAC Coordinator, Mrs Mercy Ndukwe, said the factories were sealed for poor manufacturing practices.

    Ndukwe said: “We have invited them all to visit NAFDAC office with their licences for verification.

    “Looking at the factories we visited, the agency is not happy seeing the environment they were operating on.

    “NAFDAC’s minimum requirement is four to five rooms for small scale operators to operate a water production facility.

    “At the time we registered them, these rooms were available but today, most of the rooms have been converted to other uses, like living rooms and other businesses.”

    The NAFDAC chief expressed concern that cholera and other diseases could breakout from such unhygienic environments, if not given proper attention.

    Ndukwe recalled that the agency, about three weeks ago, directed the water association in the state to close all operations for two days for proper cleaning and sanitisation of factories to avert cholera outbreak.

    “In spite of the directive, we are very sad to see the environment where they operate in to be unhygienic,” she said.

    She cautioned other producers “to sit up and conduct self sanitisation of their premises.”

    “They should ensure that those they leave their businesses to run adhere strictly to the directives of NAFDAC.

    “Our aim is not to close down factories or push them out of business but to ensure that Nigerians consume wholesale and hygienic food and water,”
    Ndukwe further said.

     She expressed the willingness of the agency to organise free trainings for the operators of table water factories in the state on the best practices.

     The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the enforcement was carried out by NAFDAC, in collaboration with the Imo House of Assembly Committee on Health and Environment as well as the state chapter of the Association of Table Water Producers (ATWAP).

    The Vice Chairman of ATWAP, Mrs Joy Uwakwe, expressed the support of her association to the enforcement by the agency.

     “The association is in support of ensuring that water sold to consumers are clean and treated for consumption for Imo residents.

    “The most unfortunate thing that happened today is that the sealed factories are not members of ATWAP,” Uwakwe said .

    Also, the chairman, Imo House of Assembly Taskforce on Health and Environment, Chief Odyssey Obioha, expressed concern that the test conducted for quality at the facilities showed that the water was not safe for drinking.

    Obioha said that a similar test was conducted on different sachets of water at the Imo State House of Assembly where it was discovered that most of them were unsafe for consumption.

    “The discovery necessitated the inspection of water production facilities in the state, in collaboration with NAFDAC and ATWAP.

    “The outbreak of cholera in the country has become an issue and the State Government is determined to ensure that Imo is free from cholera,” Obioha said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

    OPC/USO
    Edited by Sam Oditah

  • Ohaji/Egbema youths protest against alleged attempt to manipulate LG polls

    Ohaji/Egbema youths protest against alleged attempt to manipulate LG polls

    Protest
    By Peter Okolie
    Owerri, June 27, 2024 (NAN) Hundreds of youths from Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo, on Thursday, stormed the state’s Government House, Owerri, to demand a transparent, fair and credible chairmanship election in the area.

    The protesters kicked against any attempt by anybody in the area to subvert the popular wish of the electorate in the upcoming poll and vowed to resist it.

    They alleged that there was a plot to manipulate the outcome of the chairmanship poll in favour of a particular candidate.

    They accused a former Minister of State for Education from the area, Mr Goodluck Opiah, of being the mastermind of the plot.

    The leader of the protesting youths, Mr Lucky Onyiri, told newsmen that “the people of Awarra Court Area are sick of Opiah’s undue interference in our activities”.

    Onyiri claimed that Opiah was conniving with the current Sole Administrator of the LGA, Chief Princewill Onyeaju, “to impose an unpopular candidate on the people”.

    According to him, the good people of Awarra Court Area  are carrying out this mass protest because we know that the former minister wants to control the area due to its rich oil and gas deposits.

    “Opiah tried to manipulate the chairmanship election, which was earlier zoned to Awarra Court Area by Chief Charles Orie and other stakeholders of Ohaji/Egbema, including Prof. Vitalis Nwulu.

    “He manipulated the newly appointed sole administrator to appoint new President Generals without proper consultation because he wants to control the oil and gas business in Ohaji/Egbema.

    “Our protest is a strong warning to the leaders to stay away from trying to manipulate the process and instigating crisis in Ohaji/Egbema in the face of severe insecurity,” Onyiri said.

    He appealed to Gov. Hope Uzodinma to sack the sole administrator and also stop Opiah and Onyeaju from unduly interfering in the election.

    The protesters carried placards  with different inscriptions, such as “The people’s Gov. should remove onyeaju as Sole Administrator of Ohaji Egbema LGA.”

    Others read, “Abacheke in Ohaji Egbema is on fire because of Opiah”.

    “Opiah should steer clear of Ohaji Egbema,” and “Opiah should go and make peace in his community, Abacheke,” among others.

    Receiving the protesters at the Government House, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr Nnamdi Anyaehie, assured them that the State Government would respond positively to their demands.

    In a reaction, Opiah described the allegation by the protesters as “mischief”.

    He said, “As a member of the All Progressives Congress, zoning of party offices is a party affair.”

    He further said that since 1999, elective positions in the area had usually been shared between Ohaji and Egbema districts.

    According to him, when an Ohaji man occupies the House of Assembly, the Egbama man occupies the LGA.

    “So, if it is zoned to Ohaji, the three zones in Ohaji will have to decide and if it is zoned to Egbema, the three zones in Egbema will equally have to decide where the candidate emerges from.

    “There is no issue of marginalisation because at one point or the other, each of the three zones in Ohaji and Egbema has always produced one person or the other for elective positions.

    “This is democracy, where nobody lords his opinion over the other person.

    “There is no high handedness, no imposition and there is no cause for alarm,” the erstwhile minister said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Imo Government recently fixed September 21 for the LG polls. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

    OPC/Oditah
    Edited by Sam Oditah

     

     

     

  • Imo: Ex-IMSU VC builds clinic, offers free medical services to natives

     

    Picture showing some patients at the  free healthcare services provided by a former Acting Vice Chancellor of Imo State University (IMSU), Prof. Peter Akah, at Umunyem-Umuebele Village in Okporo Community, Orlu Local Government Area of Imo on Wednesday.

    Healthcare
    By Peter Okolie
    Orlu (Imo), June 19, 2024 (NAN) A former Acting Vice Chancellor, Imo State University, Prof. Peter Akah, on Wednesday, organised free healthcare services to at least 1,000 natives of Okporo Community in Orlu Local Government Area of the state.

    Akah, a professor of Pharmacology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, who hails from the community, also inaugurated a Clinic in the area.

    In a speech at the event, he said that the project was initiated to address the health challenges of the vulnerable members of Umunyem-Umuebele
    Village in Okporo Community, mainly the aged, women and children.

    He expressed concern over the “alarming rate of deaths in his community” because the villagers could not afford medical treatment.

    “Things have been hard generally. Sincerely, if I had 20 calls in a day, 18 of them ask for money to buy drugs, not even food.

    “I know how much it is to pay for consultancy, let alone hospital bills and I can imagine what people in the village go through,” Akah said.

    According to him, many of the villagers are moving around with high level of malaria and typhoid, prostate cancer, diabetes and partial stroke without proper medical attention.

    “We discovered numerous cases of ulcer because people can no longer feed or are rationing their foods,” he said.

    Akah said that the outreach also offered free HIV and COVID-19 tests for those who wished to be screened, while drugs were given to those diagnosed with different aliments.

    “I felt the need to give back to my community by providing somewhere they can get access to healthcare effectively,” he said.

    Reacting to the development, the President of the town’s union, Chief John Egolu, thanked Akah for the kind gesture, especially in establishing a clinic in the area.

    “A visit to the facility shows that there are beds and full theatre for surgery and there is a promise that more equipment would be brought, subsequently.

    “This vision of our dear son, Prof. Akah, is that which will in no small measure help our people, especially by getting healthcare services closer to them,” Egolu, represented by Mr Chinemerem Iyiagu, said.

    Also, a 67-year-old stroke patient, Mr Charles Okechukwu, while thanking Akah for the gesture, described him as “God sent to help the less privileged in the community.”

    “We have never seen this type of medical care in our village,” he further said.

    Another stroke patient, Mr Thomas Mbagwu, 75, who said that he had been down with the ailment for over four years, expressed delight over the medical mission.

    He prayed God to grant Akah long life and good health to sustain the gesture in the community.

    Another beneficiary of the health mission, Mrs Fidelia Ibemike, 89, said the health facility had brought healthcare services closer to the people.

    Ibemike said that the facility would reduce the sufferings usually encountered in traveling to other communities for medical treatment.

    According to her, many aged persons have died in their homes in this community because they lacked the money to seek medical attention. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

    OPC/OIF/USO
    Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Sam Oditah

     

     

  • Eid-el Kabir: Uzodimma, Otti advocate religious tolerance between Muslim, Christian faithful 

    Eid-el Kabir: Uzodimma, Otti advocate religious tolerance between Muslim, Christian faithful

    Tolerance
    By Ihechinyere Chigemeri-Uwom/ Peter Okolie
    Owerri, June 16, 2023 (NAN) Gov. Hope Uzodimma of Imo and his Abia counterpart, Gov. Alex Otti, have called for religious tolerance between the Muslim and Christian faithful in the country as the Muslim Community worldwide celebrates this year’s Eid-el Kabir.

    Uzodimma said: “love, unity, peace, growth, development and more, will be guaranteed in the country, if members of the Muslim and Christian community decide to cohabit, not just in Imo but elsewhere in Nigeria.”

    He spoke when he played host to the Muslim leaders in Imo at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Owerri on Sunday.

    He congratulated the Muslim faithful for successfully completing their fasting and the privilege of being alive to witness the 2024 Festival of Sacrifice (Eid-el Kabir).

    The governor urged the faithful to “wear tolerance like a cloth.

    “Your faiths are simply means of getting to your destination, which is God.

    “We cannot grow in an atmosphere of rancour, hatred, killing, blood-letting, armed robbery and other vices, which both the Koran and Bible condemn.

    “Tolerance is the name of the business, and with it, inclusive growth and development will be achieved,” he said.

    Addressing some Christian faithful, who joined in the celebration, Uzodimma thanked them for the showing solidarity to their Muslim brothers and sisters at the “common communion”.

    He said: “If you can eat together, it means you can live together, work together and even protect your environment together.

    “It is now time we interrogated our consciences and do those things that please God,” he further said.

    The governor used the occasion to congratulate fathers in the state on the occasion of this year’s International Father’s Day celebration.

    He said that their support to his government in building a virile society could not be discountenanced.

    “We recognise your sacrifices and contributions, which inspire us to strive for a better society and I pray for abundant blessings upon you and your families,” he said.

    Earlier, the leadership of the Muslim Community in the state, Alhaji Bashir Uwakwe, assured the governor that they would remain united in all their endeavours.

    Uwakwe thanked the governor for deeming it necessary, again, to fete them in the Government House, describing the gesture as “unquantifiable show of love to us and our faith.”

    He promised that they would continue to be of good behaviour and to make positive impact in the state.

    He appealed to the governor to ensure that more Muslim faithful got the opportunity to be part of next year’s Hajj.

    In a related development, the Abia governor called on residents of the state to imbibe the spirit of the Eid-el Kabir by being their brothers’ keepers.

    He made the call in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Kazie Uko, and made available to newsmen in Umuahia on Sunday.

    He was quoted to have said that the celebration “also promotes love and understanding among individuals, regardless of their diverse cultures, backgrounds and beliefs”.

    Otti further said that the celebration upholds the act of sacrifice and selfless service in obedience to Allah’s will.

    “This was exemplified by Prophet Ibrahim’s unwavering readiness to sacrifice his son in accordance with Allah’s command,” he was reported as saying.

    The governor also described the event as significant in the Islamic calendar and urged the Muslim faithful to emulate Prophet Ibrahim, who demonstrated complete loyalty and trust in his relationship with Allah.

    “As the world celebrates this important festival, I enjoin all Muslim faithful across the state to emulate Prophet Ibrahim for his faithful devotion to duty and the will of Allah,” he said.

    According to him, the Prophet was willing to offer his only son as a sacrifice for the good of all without questioning.

    “I acknowledge the values of selflessness, kindness, and devotion that are at the heart of Eid-el Kabir and pray that this special period will bring us peace, happiness and unity.

    “On behalf of the Government and good citizens of our dear state, I extend our warmest greetings to our Muslim brothers and sisters in the state and around the country,” he added.

    He promised that the State Government would continue to create equal opportunities and the necessary conducive environment for citizens to live and conduct their businesses.

    “We, therefore, call for the continued support and cooperation of every resident in Abia,” Otti said.
    (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

    INA/OPC/USO
    Edited by Sam Oditah

  • Gunmen kill 2 policemen, civilian in Imo 

    Attack

     

    By Peter Okolie

     

    Owerri, June 11, 2024 (NAN) Two policemen and a passer-by were shot dead early on Tuesday morning by some unidentified gunmen at a police checkpoint at Akabo, near Owerri, Imo.

     

    An eyewitness told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the gunmen stormed the checkpoint, located along Okigwe Road in Ikeduru Local Government Area, in three vehicles at about 6.30 a.m.

     

    “They came in three vehicles to the checkpoint and suddenly opened fire, killing two policemen on the spot.

     

    “On hearing the sporadic gunshots, I quickly scampered for safety for my dear life,” said the source.

     

    The source, who had stepped out to buy bread for the children’s breakfast, further said a stray bullet from the sporadic shots fired by the hoodlums hit and killed a male passer-by.

     

    However, the source added that other police officers fired back, forcing the attackers to retreat.

     

    Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Imo Police Command, ASP Henry Okoye, said the state Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr Aboki Danjuma, had ordered a manhunt for the gunmen.

     

    “The CP has deployed the command’s Special Tactical Squad and equipped them with available operational resources and intelligence to go all out in synergy with other security agencies and clamp down on the hoodlums responsible for the unprovoked and unwarranted attack and killings.

     

    “The operatives fought gallantly but unfortunately, two personnel and a civilian were fatally hit,” he said.

     

    Okoye said the CP and some operatives of the command later visited the crime scene for assessment.

     

    “As we speak, intense operation is ongoing in the area for possible apprehension and prosecution of the fleeing hoodlums responsible for the senseless act of violence.

     

    “More so, the CP has set up a high-powered investigation team and tasked them to carry out a comprehensive investigation to unravel perpetrators of the attack,” he added.

     

    He said the bodies of the affected officers and the civilian had been recovered and deposited in a mortuary for preservation.

     

    The command’s spokesman commiserated with families of the dead and assured that the command would leave no stone unturned to ensure the hoodlums were arrested and prosecuted. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

     

    OPC/CHOM/MAS

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    Edited by Chioma Ugboma and Moses Solanke