Dr Simon Onyemaechi, executive secretary Anambra State Health Insurance Agency, ASHIA, is a man passionate about his portfolio. In this interview with Fides crew of Jude Atupulazi and Chioma Ndife, Onyemaechi introduces ASHIA to the people, giving copious reasons why it is beneficial to the populace and how it can be accessed. Excerpts Can we meet you? Good Evening, I ...

The World Bank Group, on Monday, said Nigeria’s economy has performed below par since 1995. In a classification of growth performance included in the 14th edition of Africa’s Pulse, Nigeria was ranked in the bottom tercile alongside Angola, South Africa and 16 other countries saying these economies did not show any progress in their growth performance. “These countries did not ...

By Chioma Ndife The Executive Secretary of Anambra State Health Insurance Agency (ASHIA), Dr. Simon Onyemaechi, has called on Anambrarians among others residents in the state who are philanthropists to shun organizing medical outreach and rather use such funds to pay for lives in the scheme. Dr. Onyemaechi who made the call recently while addressing journalists in his office at ...

. . Visits COOU Teaching Hospital, Awka By Adadioramma Eze The Excellent Ladies of Valour and Steel ELOVAS Foundation, Awka Zone 2, on March 24, 2019, celebrated the 2019 International Women’s Day with the theme: THINK EQUAL RIGHT, BE BOLD FOR POSITIVE CHANGE, BETTER THE WORLD. The celebration which was held at De Oasis Bar & Kitchen, Secretariat Road, Aroma, ...

By Hannah Brockhaus Pope Francis said Sunday that abortion is not a lawful way to solve problems, even in extreme and desperate situations, and that awareness of the need to help women in difficult pregancies is on the rise. During a March 31 Spanish television interview, Pope Francis was asked about the permissibility of abortion in an extreme case: a ...

By Courtney Grogan Pope Francis has called upon young people to be vigilant in the face of “horrible crimes” of clerical sexual abuse, and to confront priests “at risk” of betraying the trust of their office. The pope issued the plea in his post-synodal apostolic exhortation on youth, Christus vivit, published Tuesday. “If you see a priest at risk, because ...

A Copt lights a candle at a church in Cairo. Credit: Christopher Rose via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0). Cairo, Egypt, Apr 1, 2019 / 10:29 am (CNA).- A court in Cairo sentenced Saturday 30 men to between 10 years and life imprisonment. They were charged with planning to bomb a church in Alexandria, an attack which was not carried out. ...

Over the years, Anambra State was considered one of the most unsafe states in the southeast. Several governments came in and did their bit to eradicate crime in the state, but no matter how much they tried, it was difficult to completely fight the menace of crime. The government of Governor Willie Obiano has however recorded a huge pass mark ...

By Ikeugonna Eleke The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra has set up a committee to investigate the reason for the abysmal performance of its presidential candidate in the just concluded election, President Muhammadu Buhari. The party said it was confident of its popularity in the state and was surprised that its candidate lost the election in the state and ...

By Pat Amobi Chukwuma On Monday, 1st April 2019, I celebrated my 56th Birthday. As I have always said, I was born exactly at 12.05p.m on a Monday in 1963 at Jos in Benue Plateau State by then. The Benue has gone. Plateau is left behind. I was born a fool but by the grace of God, I escaped being ...

“One hundred and twenty nine years… One hundred and twenty nine years…” I mumbled to myself. My great grandchildren Ifeatu and Chiamaka looked at me with their usual expression of disgust and started mocking me in English. “Why can’t this old woman just die?“ Ifeatu asked. “Abi? She’s just here taking up space and mumbling to herself. She’s a lunatic.” ...

By Uche Amunike This week, I’ll share an article written by my dear friend and buddy, Ejike Anyaduba. He wrote about some achievements of the Obiano government and how much he has made significant marks in the social sector. It is an article I found interesting and in my usual manner, I just had to share with you all. Please ...

By Amaka Olua Ikebudu House has lifted the overall champion trophy in the 2019 Annual inter House Sports C Competition of Bubendorff Memorial Grammar School (BMGS) Anaocha L.G.A, Anambra state. In the finals of the competition held at the school field on March, 23rd 2019, Ikebudu Green and white house defeated the other 15 houses and emerged the overall champion, ...

By Abuchi Onwumelu The Chief Fire Officer and Director Anambra State Fire Service, Engr. Martin Agbili, has been installed as the eleventh chairman of Nigerian Society of Engineers, NSE, Awka Branch, Speaking shortly after the installation, Engr Agbili vowed to promote professionalism and synergy between the engineers and the government in Anambra State. Agbili said the professional body would improve ...

By Mike Nnamah The Governor of Anambra State Chief Willie Obiano, has commended Amawbia Community for constructing a monumental civic and events centre. The Governor made this disclosure through his deputy, Dr. Nkem Okeke, at the foundation stone laying ceremony, Friday 29th March, 2019. Performing the foundation laying ceremony at the site of the new civic and events centre, the ...

. . . Blame it on Modern Facilities By Mercy Hill Some traders, as well as custodians of culture, have decried the gradual extinction of pottery as an art in Nigeria, especially in Igbo Land, noting that it is gradually becoming a threat to the Igbo cultural heritage. This is even as they have adduced some reasons for some unidentified ...

By Sunny A. Ijomah Three occupants of a long lorry including the driver have received various degrees of injuries as the lorry skidded off the MCC axis of the Enugu-Onitsha Express road, Onitsha, Anambra State. The vehicle fell into the center drainage of the express road emptying its contents on the road. According to an eye witness, Mr. Okechukwu Nwankwo, ...

No fewer than 20 people have been killed in a fresh attack by suspected fulani herdsmen in Anguwan Aku village, Kajuru Local government area of Kaduna state. Several others were said to have sustained injuries from gunshots. The incident, according to a resident of the community, took place at about 7:00am on Monday. He said the attackers were dressed in ...

. . . Asks New Companies to Register Within 6 Months of Operation By Abuchi Onwumelu The Anambra State Government through the Anambra Internal Revenue Service, AIRS, has commenced enforcement on various private Owned businesses for tax evasion in the state to the tune of over six hundred million naira. The exercise which took place at various locations in the ...

By Jude Atupulazi This week, I’m going to talk about two separate phenomena that are currently in the news in our state. While one makes victims of unsuspecting and innocent people, the other claims the scalps of those who go looking for trouble in their quest to make money. I’m talking about the One Chance Bus phenomenon and the dangerous ...