Author: Drum Africa Correspondent
The search that was intensified for the body of a little 5-year-old girl identified as Melody, a resident of Akpu Road, Ogbor-Hill, Aba, who was swept off by flood on Saturday, 27th of June, 2026, while playing with her 7-year-old brother has failed. Our correspondent who monitored the situation discovered that most of the major roads around the Aba River, like Ngwa Road, Akpu Road, Ovom Street, Pepples Road and Emologu Road, have dangerous open drainages that collect stormwater from the Ogbor Hill axis to the Aba River. As gathered, it was one of these open drainages that Melody fell…
Abia State Government has informed the general public that from Monday, June 29, 2026, the enforcement of the restriction on commercial motorcycle (Okada) operations within designated areas of the State will commence. Prince Okey Kanu, Hon. Commissioner for Information said that the regulation is a public safety and security measure undertaken in the overriding interest of protecting lives and property. According to him, the government recognizes that thousands of hardworking citizens depend on motorcycle transportation for their livelihood, and fully appreciates the concerns this policy may raise for affected operators and their families. He said that it was in demonstration…
The Abia State Government on Saturday arrested a 109-year-old akara seller, Mama Chidinma Eluwa, for allegedly violating the state’s monthly environmental sanitation exercise. Recall that on 9th August 2023, Mama Chidinma Eluwa was invited to the office of the Special Assistant to the Governor on Vulnerable Groups and Poverty Alleviation by Mrs Ifeoma Thomas; the special assistant then announced some financial interventions and business sustainability plans for her. Back then, many Abians believed that the centenarian, who was 106 then and popular at the Owerri Road by the Isigate area of Umuahia, who was placed on a monthly stipend for…
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is collaborating with the government of Anambra State towards reducing maternal and child mortality especially at birth. Dr. Afam Obidike, Anambra State Commissioner for Health, during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Ministry of Health, Data Operation Centre (DOC), Jerome Udoji State Secretariat, Awka, said that the state has also other ways the state is putting in efforts to stop maternal and infant deaths across the stat. Dr. Obidike said that the government is determined to eliminate preventable maternal deaths and improve access to quality healthcare for women and children. In his words ,…
The Federal Government has officially handed over the Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA), Enugu, to the concessionaires, Aero Alliance Limited, under a public-private partnership arrangement. Following the execution of the handover certificates, assets register, and other relevant documentation, Aero Alliance will now undertake the financing, rehabilitation, expansion, operation, and management of the airport, ensuring that it meets and sustains internationally recognised standards of safety, efficiency, and passenger experience. This was even as Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State described the successful concession of the airport as a major breakthrough and opener of new economic opportunities for the South East, while…
The Enugu State Government and the South East Development Commission (SEDC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the South East Agro Development Programme, marking a major step towards transforming agriculture into a catalyst for economic growth, industrialisation, and food security across the South-East. Speaking during the signing ceremony at the Government House, Enugu, on behalf of Governor Peter Mbah, the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Chidiebere Onyia, said the administration remained committed to building a robust agricultural economy capable of driving industrial growth and expanding the state’s wealth base. He said the government’s vision of growing Enugu’s…
“We are proud to stand with Imo State on this forward-thinking journey. It’s not just about giving loans—it’s about weaving financial inclusion into the very fabric of group enterprises” – Mr. Olusegun Alebiosu, the Chief Executive Officer of FirstBank Group There’s an old saying that echoes through our villages and cities: “A single broom cannot sweep clean, but many brooms tied together can clear any floor.” That timeless wisdom is exactly what the Imo State Government had in mind when it launched the ÓKÓBÌ Initiative—and now, FirstBank is stepping in to help make that vision a reality for even more…
The Abia State Shippers Association has urged members to ensure that they apply every necessary piece of knowledge gathered from the one-day seminar held to educate them on the new tax policy reforms. Recall that President Bola Tinubu signed into law tax policy reforms on 26 June 2025, a move some experts said streamlined revenue administration, enhancing compliance, strengthening intergovernmental coordination, and repositioning the tax system to support inclusive growth. However, despite the position of the government on the benefits of the tax policy reforms, the shippers’ association of Abia State insisted their members have to know more about the…
The Abia State Government has said that the pipeline explosion that occurred in Umuololo community, Owaza, in Ukwa West Local Government Area, was due to an ageing petroleum pipeline believed to have been laid about 70 years ago. The pipeline, part of Oil Mining Lease (OML) 11, reportedly exploded at about 1:30 a.m. on Monday, triggering a major oil spill that affected homes, farms, schools, shops and livestock in the community. A delegation from the state government, led by the Commissioner for Environment, Philemon Asonye Ogbonna, and the Commissioner for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Professor Joel Ogbonna, visited the affected…
The Imo State Health Insurance Agency (IMSHIA) partnered with The Widow Aid Foundation to enroll 100 widows into the ImoCare Health Insurance Programme on Tuesday, 23rd June 2026, in commemoration of International Widows Day 2026. The enrollment exercise took place at the IMSHIA State Office, Owerri, and aligns with this year’s global theme, _“Invisible Women, Invisible Problems.”_ Each beneficiary was issued an ImoCare ID card, granting access to quality healthcare services without financial hardship at IMSHIA-accredited facilities across the state. The event was attended by key stakeholders in health and women’s development like Hon. Nkechinyere Ugwu, Honourable Commissioner for Women…