News

Fostering Tech Enthusiasm: Anambra Welcomes Dawn of Tech Innovation at KODEX AFRICA’s Grand Opening

By Angela Nwanodu :

The future seems bright for the tech ecosystem in Anambra State as various stakeholders, including tech-savvy students, tech lovers, and Hub owners, converged on Aug. 29 for the first-ever Anambra State Meetup organized by the Innovation Support Network and hosted by KODEX AFRICA.

The meetup aimed at establishing a platform for Hubs and other ecosystem stakeholders to share experiences, network, learn, and collaborate to drive innovation in the state.

The event, which doubled as the official launch of KODEX AFRICA was well attended by major stakeholders in government, a testament to Gov. Chukwuma Soludo’s vision of making Anambra the creative hub of Nigeria, with everything and everywhere bearing the stamp of technology.

Cutting the ribbon to officially launch KODEX AFRICA, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Anambra State ICT Agency, Mr. Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata (CFA), emphasized the need for people in the tech ecosystem to embrace collaboration, which he said is key for success in the tech space.

“Everything I have ever achieved in the tech space has been because of collaboration; brilliance helps, but collaboration and execution are key, execution sets you apart.

“You must also be disciplined. I have seen Lagos evolve, and the fact that government policy can lead to transformations, just like the removal of Right Of Way (RoW) and the approval of a zero-cost policy for broadband access by the then Lagos State Governor, Babajide Fashola, made it possible for Funke Okpeke to take high-speed broadband to Yaba and expand connectivity.

“Likewise, if you look around various areas in Anambra, you will discover that fibre duct laying is ongoing and aimed at boosting internet connectivity across the state.

“The agency’s commitment to fostering a culture of collaboration is undeniable, which is why we would continually explore interesting areas of collaboration with as many people as possible,” he concluded.

CFA also encouraged more hubs to sign up with the Innovation Support Network (ISN) so that they could collectively build a thriving tech ecosystem in Anambra State.

The Managing Director of the Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency (ANSIPPA), Mr. Mark Okoye, stressed the need for identification of the challenges within the ecosystem as well as ways to surmount them while optimizing the myriad of opportunities therein.

“I like that we are telling our stories right now, we must continue to collaboratively push out positive narratives about us with one voice so that soonest, all the negative stories will fizzle out.

“I tell you, we are at the beginning of something great, and we owe it to ourselves to create a thriving, more productive, and sustainable ecosystem.

“We also need to evolve new funding models to further support start-ups within the ecosystem, maybe by next year, we can launch a crowdfunding platform for start-ups in Anambra State,” he said.

On his part, the Director of Partnerships with the Innovation Support Network and the founder of ROA Hub, the first hub in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Mr., Charles Emembolu, expressed his excitement about the meet-up and the prospects it holds for the tech ecosystem in Anambra.

Emembolu also encouraged more hubs to join ISN in order to expand their networks and experience new and faster ways of achieving great feats within the ecosystem.

“In today’s digital world, you need to have an open mind and imbibe the spirit of collaboration in order to grow; there are lots of tech skills, but most people find it hard selling them out there, hence the need to come together.”

Also, the Managing Director of Founders Institute Lagos, Mr. Ifedy Ralph Eze, while welcoming everyone to the event, stressed that the gathering is pertinent and timely to eliminate all forms of working in silos and achieving less by working collaboratively for the common good of all in the ecosystem.

“We must eliminate unhealthy competition in all its forms, which is the reason the ecosystem is not thriving as it should; we must think differently and work differently to achieve better results and chart a pathway for success.

“This gathering is about how to expand the ecosystem, and KODEX, on their part, is committed to opening their doors to ensure that the ecosystem thrives”, he added.

In his remarks, the Managing director of KODEX AFRICA, Mr. Stanley Aroh explained that KODEX AFRICA was born out of the need to build an ecosystem of people and products to drive the digital transformation of Africa through strategic alignments with customers, institutions, and communities.

He further explained that to achieve this, Kodex Academy, which focuses on tech talent development and upskilling, and Kodex Build, which is positioned to build digital products and solutions for clients, as well as thespace.ng through which it is building a vibrant and thriving ecosystem for young creatives, entrepreneurs, and talents across the South East, were created.

“There is a need for everyone in the tech ecosystem to work together, leveraging the environment KODEX already provides.

“Do not be afraid to explore and do not forget your days of humble beginnings; dream big and collaborate with like-minded people in the ecosystem,” he advised.

The Managing Director, of Trunk Digital Media, Mr. Uche Okoye, aka “Anambra first son”, on his part encouraged the tech enthusiasts to maximize the limitless power of social media and the importance of storytelling as a means to ensure appropriate visibility for all the valuable feats they are achieving in the ecosystem

“Story-telling is a very powerful tool, and people connect more with it, so you must leverage it.

“If you cannot, seek those who can and collaborate with them so that your solutions can be well publicized.

He further stressed the need for people in the ecosystem to sit together and talk about the problems of the ecosystem, as this can create solutions for them, encouraging Anambra techies to establish their presence on Twitter.

Highlights of the event were the panel discussions as well as the tour around the facility, KODEX AFRICA (Ministry of Information)

The information officer reports from Anambra ICT Agency, Awka

SOMTEC Holds Review Meeting for 2023 August Women Meetings HPV Vaccination, Health Campaigns

By Uzo Ugwunze :

The Anambra State Social Mobilization and Technical Committee (SOMTEC), a United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF)-assisted project domiciled in the State Ministry of Information (MOI), has held a One-day Review Meeting with Field workers (FLWs) of 21 LGAs who embarked on the health campaign during the 2023 August Women Meetings.

The review meeting, which was held at the King David Hotel in Awka, was with Community Mobilization officers (COMOs) and Health Educators who were sensitizing 20 communities per LGA in Anambra State on healthy living in order to achieve positive Social Behavior Change (SBC) through women’s August meetings.

According to the SOMTEC Project Desk officer, MOI, Mrs. Grace Onwukwe, this Review meeting was supposed to be a planning and orientation meeting that ought to be held before the August meetings on health campaigns, but it was done online for the FLWs because they were already at the field when UNICEF gave the directive.

“The theme of the August meeting on sensitization includes the Human Papillomavirus vaccination campaign, which targets adolescent girls between the ages of 9 to 14 years in order to protect them before they become sexually active.

“Women should know the importance of the first 1000 days of a child, what a pregnant woman needs to do from conception till after delivery, the prenatal, antenatal, and postnatal periods, from conception to when the child is two years old.

“UNICEF has observed that the first 1000 days of a child’s life determine the child’s future. When a child is properly immunized, well-fed, and raised in a clean and healthy environment, with the birth registered, the child can be protected from violence or any other form of child abuse.

“The need to continue applying Essential family practices (EFPs) is also important to prevent avoidable sickness and deaths. These were communicated to the FLWs online, so we are here to review what they did and listen to the challenges they encountered during the sensitization,” Mrs. Onwukwe said.

The UNICEF Resource person, Mrs. Chineze George-Ileka, discussed the need for parents to allow their girl child between the ages of 9 to 14 years to receive the HPV vaccine, which was likely to commence in Anambra by 2024.

“Parents should allow their girl children between the ages of 9 to 14 years to receive the HPV vaccine before they become sexually active to protect them from HPV, cervical cancer, warts, and other related infections.

“Prevention is better than cure. Parents should advice their children to avoid premarital sex and couples should maintain one sexual partner because keeping multiple sexual partners is dangerous.”

According to her, symptoms of HPV include virginal discharge, skin infection, and, in some cases, painful sex and the flow of blood. One with such symptoms should go for a smear test, a cervical cancer test, or see a professional health practitioner,” Mrs. George-Ileka said.

“Also wash your hands regularly with soap or ash under running water. Cross your fingers while handwashing, wash your nails, and wash up to your elbow. Critical times for hand washing include after visiting public places, before cooking, eating,, or breastfeeding your infant, after visiting the toilet, or after disposing of children’s faeces.

“Moreso, properly dispose of children’s faeces. Open defecation is harmful to health because flies that perch on excreta will find their way to your food. Encourage every household to use a latrine, pour-flush toilet, or water closet toilet, which should always be covered and washed regularly.

“Concerning environmental cleanliness, Keep the kitchen and surroundings clean. Wash kitchen utensils and cutlery before use because wall geckos may have licked them, and their saliva can cause death. Dispose of empty cans and dustbins to avoid breeding mosquitoes and rats.”

Mrs. George-Ileka further informed them to expect the introduction of the HPV vaccine in Anambra State, saying it was going to be free by the Federal Government.

Speaking on first 1000 days of a child, the Anambra State Health Educator, Mrs. Uju Onwuegbuzina, said that it starts from conception until the child’s second birthday. As soon as a woman misses her menstruation, she should register for antenatal

“Immunization continues till 2 years no more for 1 year. After delivery, the mother should do early initiation by breastfeeding the infant without removing the collostrum. Exclusively breastfeed the child for the first 6 months without water. After 6 months, breastfeeding continues with supplementary, complementary, and nutritional feeding until age 2,” said Mrs. Onwuegbuzina.

Moreover, the National Population Commission (NPC) Anambra State Director, TLP Joachim Ulasi encouraged the health workers at the facilities to help in proper documentation of registration of births, saying that only birth certificate or declaration of age issued by NPC remains the authorized, birth certificate in Nigeria.

“We have about 151 birth registration centres in Anambra located at health centres, palaces, Town halls, and LG Secretariats. It is an offense not to register the birth of your child. The NPC Birth Certificate is free, issued once in a lifetime, and for those under 18 years. Those over 18 years old are issued an Attestation of age after tendering their court affidavit. By September 1, 2023, the NPC will digitalize the process of documenting birth certificates”.

Women were also enlightened on the need for parents and guardians to be mindful about who they leave to look after their children or wards to avoid exposing unsuspecting minors to sexual molestation and paedophiles out of carelessness.

In his goodwill message, NOA State Director, Mr. Joe Uchendu, commeded the field workers for their efforts toward spreading information to enhance the health and wellness of Ndi Anambra, thanking UNICEF and other partners for leading the campaign for HPV vaccination.

Others in attendance include the UNICEF program officer, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Director, NPC Anambra State, Anambra State MOI Permanent Secretary and Directors of Information, Administration, and Account, State and LG Health Educators, NOA Community Mobilization Officers (COMOs) at all the 21 LGAs, and the media. (Ministry of Information)

The information officer reports from Awka

Solution Fun City; Anambra State Government Hands Over Site to Contractors

By Okoli Sunday :

The Anambra State Government has handed over the site of the proposed Solution Fun City to Contractors.

The handover ceremony was done by the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Ifeanyi Okoma, at Awka.

According to Mr. Commissioner, this handover today signifies the commencement of construction works at the Solution Fun City.

“You have been handed over the designed drawings and other contract documents, and so, your completion period has started counting.”

The contracts handed over included:

1. WATER AND AMUSEMENT PARK AT PROPOSED SOLUTION FUN CITY, AWKA, ANAMBRA STATE – LOT 1: COUNTRY CLUB, GATE HOUSE, VOLLEYBALL COURT, 5 ASIDE FOOTBALL PITCH WITH SPECTATOR STAND AND LAWN TENIS COURT

2. WATER AND AMUSEMENT PARK AT PROPOSED SOLUTION FUN CITY, AWKA, ANAMBRA STATE – LOT 2: PARK BUILDINGS, LANDSCAPES AND ANCILLARY FACILITIES, FENCE AND FUN CLUB

3. WATER AND AMUSEMENT PARK AT PROPOSED SOLUTION FUN CITY, AWKA, ANAMBRA STATE, LOT 3: FOUNDATION FOR PARK EQUIPMENT

Engr. Okoma said that Mr. Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, is passionate about the project and charged them with its speedy completion.

By March 17th next year, Mr. Governor has already slated to hold a banquet in one of the buildings, and you can’t afford to fail.”

Speaking on behalf of other Contractors, the Project Engineer for Zghontai Construction Company, Kolawole Abiola, thanked the Anambra State Government for the opportunity given to them and promised to justify the confidence reposed on them by the State Government by ensuring standards and delivering the projects within the timeline. (Ministry of Information)

The information officer reports from the Ministry of Works, Awka

Awka, Anambra State Capital Set to Witness Launch of a Pilot Waste Management System

By Benjamin Ogbuagu :

Awka the Anambra State capital will soon witness the launch of a Pilot system for effective management of municipal wastes that will be the first of its kind in the South East region of Nigeria.

Boskel Nigeria Limited, the consultants and initiators of this pilot scheme, is expected to carry out a demonstration on the operations of this scheme to waste management stakeholders in Anambra State.

A letter from the company reads in part, “Following our presentation to your Board and discussions thereafter, we hereby notify you of our plans to conduct a demonstration of the pilot systems for effective management of municipal wastes to your Board and Government”

A press statement signed by the Managing Director of Anambra State Waste Management Authority (ASWAMA) Mr Mike Ozoemena invites members of ASWAMA Board and all stakeholders on Environment to this event scheduled to hold on Tuesday, 5th September 2023 at the New Dumpsite, Agu Awka Industrial Area, Amaenyi-Awka by 12 noon.

The statement further invites all Transition Committee Chairmen, Waste Management Contractors, all related Agencies, and indeed the general public to this epoch making event. (MOI)

Information Officer reporting from Awka

Adazi Nnukwu Town Union Boss Pledges Support for Soludo’s Administration

Michael Ezenwata :

The president General, Adazi Nnukwu Town Development Union Chief Cyril Anetoh, has promised that the community will sustain its support for Governor Chukwuma Soludo administration.

In a statement on the 32-year anniversary of the state, Chief Anetoh, an Engineer by profession, observed that the state has progressed under different administrations since its creation.

According to him, Soludo’s administration is taking the state to the next level of development.

Chief Anetoh used the forum to task women on good parental upbringing of their children.

According to the ATDU boss who addressed the Adazi Nnukwu women during their annual August meeting, he expects them to be good home managers to enhance a brighter future for the upcoming generation.

He further informed the women that Adazi Nnukwu has the only functional library in Anaocha Local Government Area with its staff being paid by the state government.

State Government Urged to Enhance Workers Welfare

Michael Ezenwata :

Workers in Anambra state filed out in their appreciable number at the Dr.Alex Ekwueme square Awka to celebrate their day.

Governor Chukwuma Soludo was present to reassure them about his administration’s commitment to enhance their welfare.

In a press statement at the venue of the celebration, the stare chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress Comrade Humphrey Nwafor expressed delight in the governor’s enlistment of members of the congress to be part of the budgetary process in the state to enhance the revenue profile of the state.

The labour leader encouraged workers to continue to give their best in the discharge of their official responsibilities.

Comrade Nwafor used the forum to urge the governor to provide adequate security and more buses to workers to ensure their full presence at their work places on Mondays.

On his part,the state chairman ,Nigeria Union of Pensioners Comrade Anthony Ugozor expressed satisfaction over governor Soludo’s promise to look into the demands of workers in the state.

Comrade Ugozor further conveyed his delight in the clarification and ratification of Comrade Nwafor as the authentic NLC chairman in Anambra state.

Contributing,the former Vice Chancellor of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Professor Fidelis Okafor affirmed that workers globally deserve proper remuneration and not to be underpaid and abused by their employers.

A stakeholder in the defunct National Union of Road Transport Workers Union in the Southeast geopolitical zone Comrade Augustine Udeozor urged the Anambra state government to re establish the Union to assist the Anambra state government in sanitising motor parks in the state, and to assist in the raising of the revenue profile of the state.

Notice of Tax Exemption For All Wheel Barrow Pushers, Hawkers, Petty Traders And Vulcanizers

Anambra State Government wishes to inform the Anambra State Amalgamated Traders Association (ASMATA), individual market associations, and the general public that all wheelbarrow pushers, hawkers, petty traders, and vulcanizers are exempted from all kinds of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) payments such as fees, charges, levies, rates, etc.

In view of the current harsh economic condition, the government has decided to waive these taxes for the above categories of people as a way of making their livelihood easier.

Anybody found collecting any form of IGR from these categories of people would be arrested and prosecuted for stealing.

Be warned.

Signed
SIR PAUL NWOSU
Commissioner for Information
24th November, 2022

Anambra Assembly Calls on Soludo to Carry Out Palliative Works on Umueze Anam-Oroma Road

By Anastasia Agunwa/Chizoba Okeke/Gloria Abugu:

The Anambra State House of Assembly has called on Gov. Charles Soludo to direct the Works Commissioner to immediately carry out palliative works on the Umueze Anam-Oroma road to reduce the sufferings of Ndi Anambra West.

The resolution followed a motion moved under ‘Matters of Urgent Public Importance’ by Mr. Patrick Udoba representing Anambra West State Constituency and seconded by Mr. Ejike Okechukwu representing Anaocha II State Constituency during plenary on Nov. 8.

The Speaker, Mr. Uche Okafor, who presided over the plenary, noted that Gov. Charles Soludo had flagged off the construction of many dilapidated roads in Anambra State, expressing optimism that Anambra West, especially Umueze Anam-Oroma Road, is among the roads.

The Speaker put it to a voice vote, and the lawmakers unanimously adopted the motion through voice votes.

Dwelling on the motion, Mr. Udoba said that the devastating effect of the recent flooding in Anambra West Local Government Area has cut off Umueze Anam-Oromaetiti road after it was submerged by the recent flooding in Nigeria.

According to him, the flooding has caused serious losses in lives, properties, and government infrastructure and has displaced many of Ndi Anambra West, who are predominantly farmers.

“Though the water level has gone down, it has devastated my people and the environment. Among numerous damages, the flood has cut off the Umueze Anam-Oroma road, which is the only access road to more than 10 communities in Anambra West.

“The bad condition of the road will worsen the already bleeding economic and social activities of the area occasioned by the economic hardship and the flooding,” he stressed.

The lawmakers that spoke in favour of the motion, including the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Pascal Agbodike, expressed the need for the road to be urgently constructed as the area is one of the food baskets of the state.

Also at plenary, Gov. Charles Soludo, in a letter sent to the House through the Speaker, informed the State legislature of his intention to present the 2023 Proposed Budget Estimates on Nov. 10.

NISS Trains Farmers, Extension Agents on Soil Productivity in Anambra

By Chukwuka Ugokwe :

The Nigeria Institute of Soil Science (NISS), in collaboration with the Anambra State Agriculture Development Programme (ADP), has begun a two-day capacity-building seminar for Farmers and Extension Agents on the protection and management of soil resources in Anambra State.

No fewer than 70 participants are expected to benefit from the 5th session of the training spread across the three Senatorial Districts of Anambra Central, Anambra North, and Anambra South.

Speaking during the commencement of the training for Anambra Central at the Agricultural Development Programme Hall, Awka, the State Coordinator of NISS, Prof. Peter Nnabude, said the programme was staged to find ways of enhancing the productivity of the soil.

“We are training 14 Farmers and 6 Extension Agents for Anambra Central and will do the same in the other two Senatorial Districts.

“We are aware that our soils are poor, acidic and not properly managed and have therefore commenced various trainings on ways we can facilitate management of our soils at the local level.”

Prof. Nnabude, Soil Management Expert, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, enumerated gains derivable from the seminar to include improvement in the productive capacity of soils, participants skill improvement in terms of soil management, as well as bountiful economic returns.

He added, When the soils are rich, they will yield greater produce, and that translates to greater income. We also advocate integrated soil management, whereby you combine regenerative agriculture, inorganic, and organic systems to boost soil productivity.”

In a comment, the Programme Manager, of the Agricultural Development Programme (ADP), Mr. Jude Nwankwo, said their agents were ready to internalize and step down knowledge, and information on new technologies and best practices to farmers in the state to enhance bumper harvests.

He, then, encouraged them not to hesitate to go for soil tests to determine if the soil was lacking essential nutrients using simple kits whenever they noticed poor yields.

Toll Reform in the Interest of Transport Operators and Commuters

Awka the State capital witnessed days of another unexpected protest by tricycle (keke) and shuttle bus drivers. This came as a surprise to many who are aware that government had severally engaged all the transport unions in Anambra State to ensure that affordable dues are paid to the government instead of touts who are holding these drivers hostage by collecting illegal fees that are not remitted to government’s coffers.

The government’s overhaul of the tolling system is actually meant for the drivers and sundry transport owners to pay reduced fees directly to the government instead of paying exorbitant monies to the underhand middlemen who end up cheating transport owners and their drivers.

It’s indeed tragic that after many months of engagement with the transport unions on how the new payment arrangement will benefit the drivers and commuters, the keke and shuttle bus drivers still allowed themselves to be manipulated to go on strike.

It is disheartening to note that after the series of meetings and subsequent mutual understanding with the government of Anambra State to pay the reduced monthly tolls; these operators have over the months refused to pay. It was as a result of their non-compliance that prompted the Anambra State Joint Enforcement Team (ANJET) to move in to ensure compliance. While a few went to pay at the designated locations and collected their vehicles, others who are under the grips of the influential park Dons refused to pay and instead resorted to protests and ruthlessly enforced it among their law abiding colleagues, disrupting commercial activities in Awka and its environ.

The curious thing about the whole matter is that while this crisis persisted, the so-called leaders of the unions were nowhere in sight and could not be reached. All of these points to the fact that it’s either the leadership is weak or complicit in the riotous actions that virtually crippled transportation for days. The situation became clearer when government invited the operators to Dr Alex Ekwueme Square on Saturday for another round of engagement. Following the dissatisfaction they openly expressed against the leaders of their unions, they were given the opportunity to directly nominate representatives who would dialogue with government once again.

For want of what to say some of those who have been instigated to resist the reform have embarked on all kinds of campaign of falsehood to justify why they will not pay. They lied that government did not provide POS for payment as they were promised, but this is not true. Anambra Internal Revenue Service (AIRS) has 234 agents with POSs spread across 74 locations in the State where they can make payments. Another insignificant few claimed that they paid for identity cards and stickers but were not given up till this moment. This again is untrue because AIRS had since acquired the equipment to capture every payee and issue cards and stickers on the spot.

The joint agreement between the government and operators of keke and shuttle bus is that they will pay N600 and N1000 daily which would amount to N18, 000 and 30,000 monthly tolls respectively but government in its humanness granted a Saturday and Sunday discounts that eventually pegged what they will pay at N15, 000 and N25, 000 monthly. It is important to note that this is a far cry from the N2,500 and N3,500 they paid daily which adds up to N75,000 and N105,000 monthly. The difference is remarkably incomparable; and it has become necessary for Ndi Anambra to know that it is just a few greedy elements who have exploited and billed the system to line their individual pockets that have continued to misinform and instigate this unwarranted crises.

It is key to note at this point that the collected tolls will augment governments revenue with which it could repair roads which transporters whine about and construct new ones where there are none. Already, government has flagged off the construction of 20 new roads and presently carrying out over a dozen interventions to rehabilitate failed sections of existing ones. These are the services that the self-centred middlemen cannot provide.

The Governor of Anambra State, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo has repeatedly stated that his government will be transparent in spending every Kobo that comes in as revenue. Under his watch, Ndi Anambra will see their legitimate taxes, levies and tolls translate into tangible developments that will transform Anambra State into a more liveable, pleasurable and prosperous one.

Sir Paul Nwosu
Anambra State Commissioner for Information.