Author: Drum Africa Correspondent

The Abia State Government has completed the remodelling of a General Hospital, Obingwa Local Government Area. According to the government, the hospital is aimed at transforming into an ultra-modern hospital equipped with AI-enabled equipment, Telehealth, and Electronic Medical Records. The Commissioner for Health, Professor Enoch Ogbonnaya-Uche, said the project was in line with Governor Alex Otti’s vision to make quality healthcare accessible to people in rural and suburban areas will be commissioned on Tuesday. He added that the facility now has consultation rooms, a viewing gallery for the operating room, modern wards, and all the basic facilities required in a…

The Onyedinma Foundation, in partnership with the Agricultural Development Programme (ADP), has successfully concluded a two-day Climate-Smart Agriculture Training at the Asa-Umuakwa community in the Ugwunagbo Local Government Area. The training with the theme “Empowering Survivors for a Sustainable Tomorrow”, was supported by ‘The Freedom Fund’ and brought together farmers, women, and youth participants from Ugwunagbo and neighbouring communities. During the two-day training, participants were equipped with practical, climate-resilient agricultural skills to improve food security, livelihoods, and community resilience. With three facilitators from the Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) handling topics like Climate, Planets & Agriculture; Poultry & Smart Climate Practices;…

Stakeholders have called for legislative attention and improvement to the Abia State Centre for Rehabilitation of Survivors of Rape, Defilement, Domestic Violence and Any Form of Human Trafficking Law 2026. Recall that Abia recently commissioned her Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) within the premises of the Aba General Hospital, with an assurance by the government that more SARCs will be set up across Abia State. DrumAfricanews reports Governor Alex Otti April 20, 2026 signed into law the Abia State Centre for the Rehabilitation of Survivors of Rape, Defilement, Domestic Violence and any form of Human Trafficking Bill of 2026, hence…

By Charles Thomas Let us begin with numbers, not emotions. Bende Federal Constituency has existed for 34 years. During that period, Umunna has represented the constituency for 24 years, while Ikwuishi has held the seat for 12 years. Ben Kalu has represented it for eight years, and Nnamdi Njoku for four years. These figures show that Umunna has occupied the seat longer than all the other groups put together. On that basis, Umunna cannot reasonably claim the seat for many more years. The argument becomes clearer when we focus on the Fourth Republic, which is where the real debate lies.…

Elder Onwe Ubochi, has reportedly been murdered by unidentified assailants in Osege, Umuogudu Oshia Ngbo Community, in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. DrumAfricanews reports that Elder Ubochi was killed shortly after participating in a prayer session and endorsement of two All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidates ahead of the 2027 elections. The elderly man was said to have led other community elders in prayers for Tochukwu Ogalagu, the APGA candidate for Ebonyi/Ohaukwu Federal Constituency, and Chikaodili Ojimba, the party’s candidate for Ebonyi North Senatorial District, during a political consultation on August 17, 2026. According to Ogalagu, Ubochi was…

The Imo State Police Command, in collaboration with the Imo State Ministry of Youth Development and Talent Hunt, on Thursday, 20 August 2026, held a Police–Youth Dialogue at the Senior Police Officers’ Mess, Owerri, to commemorate International Youth Day 2026. Police Public Relations Officer Imo State Command, DSP Henry Okoye said that the programme, organised pursuant to the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, and themed “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations,” focused on strengthening partnership between the Police and young people in promoting peace, responsible citizenship and crime prevention in Imo State. The Commissioner of Police, Imo…

History beckons tomorrow, Friday, August 21, 2026 in Owerri, the Imo State capital, as her Specialist Hospital will carry out her first robotic-assisted surgery amid intentional efforts by Governor Hope Uzodimma’s administration, to end medical tourism abroad by the citizens due to paucity of advanced medical facilities within the country. With this development, Governor Uzodimma has successfully steered Imo State into medical history, with Nigeria’s robotic surgery milestone, the first of its kind since the creation of the State 50 years ago. The first robotic-assisted operation, scheduled tomorrow for 10:00am, at the Imo Robotics and Oncology Centre (IROC) will take…

By Ogba Nwokoro A writer on contēmporary issues Evaluating the qualifications and viability of Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, Member for Bende Federal Constituency and Deputy Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives highlights a career defined by extensive legislative productivity, strategic positioning at the national level, and deep grassroots engagement. ​Kalu has established a reputation as a master legislator, having sponsored dozens of critical bills spanning constitutional reforms, electoral integrity, and institutional growth. His legislative portfolio includes driving pivotal framework laws and securing assent for key statutes, such as the transition of correctional services to the concurrent legislative list…

The Onyedinma Foundation, in collaboration with the Child Protection Network, Abia State Chapter, visited a 16-year-old survivor of child domestic work who was receiving care at the Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), Aba. From facts available, the young boy was severely abused by his aunt, an incident that rightly sparked widespread outrage on social media. DrumAfricanews reports that the boy was brought to Aba in 2024 from Orji River in Enugu State, with the promise of putting him in school and taking good care of him. Onwuka Glory, Executive Director, the Onyedinma Foundation, said that the boy was instead…

By Udora Orizu In politics, the loudest applause may come from a rally, but the truest verdict is often heard in the quiet conversations between a leader and his people. Across Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State, those conversations have been taking place, but not on a campaign podium, but in palaces, churches, community halls, village squares and meetings with the people. For Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, PhD, CFR, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, the journey towards 2027 has begun in an unusual place: with the people, before the politics. As he winds down his ward-to-ward “MeetMyConstituentsConsultations”,…