NIGERIAN NOTCH

The frontline House of Representatives aspirant for Nnewi North, Nnewi South, and Ekwusigo Federal Constituency, Amb. Ikebunwa Lotanna, has intensified grassroots consultations as part of his political engagement ahead of the 2027 general elections. In a strategic meeting held at his country home in Nnewichi, the aspirant hosted Ward and Local Government Executives of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) drawn from Nnewi North, Nnewi South, and Ekwusigo Local Government Areas. The meeting, which brought together party leaders from the three councils, came just days after Amb. Lotanna commissioned the Nnewichi Ward 1 party office, one of about ten ward offices in Nnewi North that he personally funded and fully furnished. The initiative is widely seen as part of his deliberate effort to strengthen the party’s grassroots structure across the federal constituency. Addressing the gathering, Amb. Lotanna explained that his continuous investments in party structures across the co...

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Anambra State Sector Command, has secured the conviction of 35 traffic offenders during a Mobile Court sitting held at its headquarters in Awka on Friday. The exercise, organised by the Corps as part of its ongoing enforcement drive, is aimed at strengthening compliance with traffic regulations and reducing road traffic crashes across the state. The Mobile Court session was presided over by Chief Magistrate Adaora N. Okoli, who heard cases involving offenders apprehended during special enforcement operations carried out by FRSC personnel within the command’s operational corridors. At the conclusion of the proceedings, 44 offenders were arraigned before the court. Out of the number, 35 were convicted, while nine were discharged and acquitted. A total of 72 traffic offences were recorded against the offenders. However, none of the convicted offenders was sentenced to imprisonment. The offences prosecuted included seatbelt viol...

By Mary Obi  More than 200 disengaged workers of the Anambra State Internal Revenue Service (AIRS) have appealed to Governor Chukwuma Soludo to review their dismissal following a restructuring exercise that included a competency assessment conducted in collaboration with consulting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). The affected workers were retrenched after failing a strategic tax administration examination organised as part of reforms aimed at strengthening the efficiency and professionalism of the state’s revenue collection system. An internal memo dated February 18, 2026, issued by the Administration Department of AIRS and signed by Nwalusi Ifeanyi on behalf of the Chairman and Chief Executive, directed the disengagement of Community Revenue Officers and other staff who did not meet the required pass mark in the computer-based test administered during the exercise. Part of the memo instructed the affected staff to hand over all official materials, including identit...

The Enugu State Electricity Regulatory Commission (EERC) has issued an electricity distribution licence to MainPower Electricity Distribution Limited (MEDL) after confirming that the company met all regulatory requirements to operate within Enugu State. The Chairman of EERC, Mr. Chijioke Okonkwo, formally presented the licence to the Managing Director of MEDL, Dr. Ernest Mupwaya, during a ceremony held at the commission’s corporate headquarters in Enugu on Friday. Speaking at the event, Okonkwo noted that the issuance of the licence followed the successful completion of all statutory and regulatory procedures required for electricity distribution within the state. The ceremony was attended by representatives of the Board of Directors of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company Plc (EEDC), including Dr. Steve Dike and Barr. Kester Enwereonu. They were accompanied by the Group Managing Director of EEDC, Engr. Praveen Chorghade. Members of the management team of ...

The Anambra State Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), CN Onubogu Charles Orakwue, has called for the introduction of a mandatory Drug Integrity Test as a prerequisite for admission into tertiary institutions across Nigeria. The Commander made the appeal during an advocacy visit to the Rector of Federal Polytechnic Oko, Dr. Chioma Irene Awuzie, at the institution’s administrative headquarters. According to CN Orakwue, the proposal forms part of a nationwide campaign by the NDLEA aimed at curbing the growing menace of illicit drug use among young people. He explained that the initiative seeks to significantly reduce substance abuse among students and promote a healthy mental state conducive to academic excellence. Lamenting the prevalence of drug abuse among youths, the NDLEA State Commander disclosed that the agency has already visited six tertiary institutions in Anambra State to advocate the inclusion of drug integrity testing in their admission ...

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Anambra State Sector Command, has intensified its public enlightenment drive with a church advocacy programme aimed at promoting safer road practices among residents of the state. The outreach, held at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, Umudim, forms part of the Corps’ strategic goal to reduce road traffic crashes, injuries and fatalities by at least 10 per cent through sustained community engagement and awareness campaigns. Addressing a congregation of about 1,500 worshippers, the Sector Commander, Corps Commander Bridget Asekauno, underscored the importance of cultivating a strong road safety culture across all segments of society. She highlighted critical issues including pedestrian safety, the mandatory use of crash helmets, the dangers of overloading and mixed loading, adherence to traffic regulations, the risks of driving against traffic, the menace of underage driving, and the severe consequences of speeding a...