By Chinwe Imo-Eze Onwosi

The wife of the Ebonyi State governor, Mary-Maudline Uzoamaka Nwifuru, Thursday, paid the medical bills of 12 indigent patients at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki.

Nwifuru, the founder of Better Health for Rural Women children and Internally Displaced Foundation, BERWO, paid the bills in the spirit of the Easter celebration.

The Wife of the governor said that the donation was for indigent patients who could not pay their hospital bills due to lack of funds.

“This offer was for those who were indebted to the hospitals because of their inability to pay their medical bills,’’ she said.

She visited the Antenatal, neonatal, Paediatric Surgery, postnatal, Children Emergency wards where she showered gift items on babies and mothers.

In his remarks, the Chief Medical Director of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Prof Robinson Onoh, commended the governor’s wife on her dedication to the well-being of women and children across the state, applauding her gesture of offsetting the medical bills of the indigent patients.

The state governor’s wife also visited the old people’s home in Abakaliki and doled out gift for the Easter celebration.

She was accompanied on the visit by BERWO Foundation team, wives of government functionaries, amongst others.

Following celebrations to mark his 65th birthday, Sir Dr Emeka Offor  has made donations to the Anmbra State Police Command.

The Chairman Chrome Group gave out  1, 000 bags of 25kg rice and 200 wrappers to Police Officers Wives Association on Saturday 17th February, 2024.

Sir Offor had on the 10th of February, 2024 celebrated his birthday at the Radio House Oraifite, in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State where he undertook a social investment program which saw the distribution of 40,000 bags of rice to widows in the 179 communities of Anambra State.

The founder Sir Emeka Offor Foundation who has been at the frontline of philanthropy globally for over 30 years said he was particularly moved to extend his hand of fellowship to Police Officers wives in Anambra state as a way of showing appreciation for how much impact the barracks had on him being a child raised at the police barracks where discipline was instilled in him as a police officer’s son and his awareness of the biting economic hardship in the country.

The philanthropist said he appreciates the police for their many sacrifices especially in putting their lives at risk to ensure that ordinary citizens are well protected assuring the police that extending a hand of fellowship through palliatives by his foundation will henceforth be a yearly event and will ensure his insurance companies step in in any ways he can to improve and ameliorate the welfare of officers.

Sir Offor, also appreciated the Commissioner of Police Anambra state police command Adremi Adeoye for building the confidence of many Anambrarians by restoring effective policing in Anambra state.

During his response to Sir Offor’s kind gesture, the Commissioner of Police praised Sir Offor for so many good deeds he has done to humanity by living his foots prints all over the world especially in Anambra State where he has left an indelible testament of his magnanimity.

Adeoye, listed some of the most recent interventions Sir Emeka Offor’s Foundation has brought to the people to include building and fully equipping 11 units of two bedroom bungalows for widows in Oraifite, distribution of multiple thousands of bags of rice to widows, distribution of books to all cadre of academic institutions across the country and being the highest individual African donor to the course of eradicating polio from the world.

By Dominion Okechukwu

Nigeria’s Federal Government and the 36 states of the Federation have agreed on the need to create state police as a means of beefing up security across the country.

This was the highlight of the meeting held on Thursday between President Bola Tinubu and 36 State governors at the State House, Abuja.

Briefing newsmen on the outcome of the meeting, Information and National Orientation Minister, Idris Mohammed, said security improvements nationwide were acknowledged, with a focus on enhancing forest rangers’ numerical strength and exploring the possibility of State Police.

He said further discussion will be held on the issue between government at the centre and the states before sending a bill to that effect to the National Assembly for necessary constitutional amendment.

On food crisis, the Minister, who spoke in the company of Governors of Plateau, Kaduna and Delta states, disclosed that the National Security Adviser, Director General of State Services, and Inspector General of Police have been directed to collaborate with state governors in addressing hoarding concerns, particularly in the wake of soaring commodity prices.

The meeting, Mohammed further said, also emphasized the need for enhanced investments in agriculture to combat food shortages, declaring a halt to food importation to broaden Nigeria’s self-sufficiency and potential as a net exporter.

By Chinwe Imo-Eze Onwosi

Ebonyi state government has begun the demolition of illegal buildings and shanties in Abakaliki, the state capital.

The state Commissioner, Ministry of Capital City Development , Hon. Inyima Sunday, on Thursday, 15th February, said the demolition was aimed to give the state capital a befitting facelift.

The demolition exercise began from Hausa Quarters to Leech street and Hilltop junction at Water Works, where shanties were pulled down.

Addressing to journalists, Commissioner Inyima stated that the State Metropolis is rapidly transforming into a city, hence the need to demolish illegal structures to preserve the city’s image.

He further revealed that notices and removal order had been issued by successive administrations, including the current administration led by Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonnaya Nwifuru.

According to him, “Notices had been given by successive administrations before the current administration of Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonnaya Nwifuru.

“When we came on board. And last year, around November, we issued notices and removal orders to all the owners of these bachers and makeshift buildings, and by December, we repeated the reminder that they should remove them.”

“Abakaliki has grown into a metropolis like any other city, and we cannot continue to condone this.

“The flyover you are seeing here is flyover from government house and the road you are having here, takes you to Ebonyi State House of Assembly, what of cases, we have a high profile personality that visited the State and wants to go to house of Assembly, will it be good to showcase batchers along the road, no! That is why we insisted that on their removal and we have come to help them remove it”, Inyima said