NIGERIAN NOTCH

Dr.  Joseph Ugbaja is the Acting Chief Medical Director of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital, Nnewi. In this interview, he speaks on how Nigerians can manage the second wave of COVID-19, and his priorities as Acting CMD. As the chairman, taskforce on COVID-19 in the teaching hospital, what do you think is the best approach to tackle the second wave of the coronavirus, which they say, is deadlier? We handled the first wave of the pandemic effectively, and we are now experiencing the second wave. During the first wave, Nigeria did very well, leading to lower rates of death and mortality. All the key institutions did their best, starting from the ministry of health, the PTF, NCDC, and various others. But the second wave is a lot different in terms of severity, rate of infections, and rapid of evolution of symptoms. The second wave hit very hard because, it came at a time when we in the south east were in the Christmas and New Year festivities. For the past one month, a lot of peopl...

Ajax’s Cameroonian international goalkeeper Andre Onana has been suspended for one year for doping, the Dutch club said on Friday. The club said in a statement Onana had “mistakenly” taken his wife’s medicine which had led to the banned diuretic Furosemide appearing in his urine. Onana posted on social media said that “everything was the result of a human mistake.” “I mistook a medicine containing a substance banned by WADA for a simple aspirin,” he wrote on Twitter and Instagram.  He said he considered the punishment “excessive and disproportionate as it has been acknowledged by UEFA that it was an unintentional mistake.” Onana and Ajax both said they would appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Ajax said they had hoped Onana would receive a shorter ban because the substance was “arguably” not a performance booster. “On the morning of October 30, Onana was feeling unwell,” the club said in a statement. “He wanted to take a pill to ease the discomfort. Unknowingly,...

Kenyan Peter Waweru Kamaku will officiate the final of the Total African Nations Championship (CHAN) between defending champions Morocco and Mali on Sunday, 7 February, 2021, at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaounde. Waweru, a lecturer of the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, will lead the team of match officials as the curtains on the sixth edition of the tournament, designed exclusively for footballers in their domestic leagues, fold up. Earlier, he officiated the quarter-final clash between Mali and Congo, which the former won 5-4 on penalties after a barren stalemate in regulation time. He will be assisted by compatriot Gilbert Kipkoech Cheruiyot and Cameroonian Carine Atezambong Fomo whilst Alioum Alioum, also from Cameroon, will serve as the fourth official. The Video Assistant Referees (VAR) team will be led by Bamlak Tessema Weyesa of Ethiopia, and supported by Janny Sikazwe (Zambia) and Elvis Guy Noupue Nguegoue (Cameroon). Following their triumph on ho...

Nnewi, the industrial hub of Anambra state had it's own taste of Valentine Ozigbo WALK4HEALTH program on Saturday, February 6, 2021 under the platform of his  non-governmental organization- Valentine Chineto Ozigbo (VCO) Foundation, which is the third in a series of such health and fitness exercise programme tagged, “VCO Walk4Health”.  The well-attended event saw over one thousand residents of Nnewi indigenes gather to  walk a distance of about five kilometers, with Valentine Ozigbo taking the lead procession from  St. Andrew DCC in Nnewi, through a designated route before returning to the takeoff point. VCO Walk4Health is a health awareness initiative, aimed at promoting healthy living habits and the spirit of community, which is a program sponsored by Valentine Ozigbo, a gubernatorial aspirant under the platform of the PDP in the 2021 Anambra elections.  The event featured brisk walk, motivational talk from PDP leaders in the state, free medical checkup, and d...

The Anambra police command, has recorded another significant milestone by bursting a child trafficking syndicate specialized in stealing children in the state. Nigerian Notch gathered that on the 23/1/2021,police operatives attached to Ihiala Division arrested two suspects who allegedly stole a three years old child who was later rescued in Imo State and reunited with his parent. The PPRO Anambra state police command, CSP Haruna Mohammed in his press release made available to newsmen in Awka further stated that the suspects, following discreet investigation revealed that they usually lure their victims within the markets,Churches and Schools premises were the children play, using sweets or biscuits and take them to one Mrs Malvina Uju Uba, who pays them for the children ranging from one hundred to five hundred thousand naira only. Contiuning he stated that also on the 26/1/2021 police operatives attached to SIB and Area Command, Oraifite,in an operation coordinated by the Area Commande...

The Supreme Court today Friday February 5th dismissed the appeal instituted by Sen. Ifeanyi Ararume challenging the judgement of the Appeal Court sitting in Owerri which reinstated Sir Frank Ibezim as the APC Candidate for Imo North Senatorial Bye-Election.  The Court of Appeal had on December 4th 2020 dismissed the judgement of the lower Federal High Court Owerri which had made consequential orders mandating INEC to replace Ibezim with Ararume as APC Candidate. In a unanimous ruling, the Supreme Court panel agreed with the Court of Appeal judgement that the lower court ought not to have made the consequential orders against Sir Ibezim. The lead and concurrent judgements read by Hon. Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba and Hon. Justice Emmanuel Akomaye Agim concluded that Ibezim being not a party or privy to the matter at High Court, his fundamental rights to fair hearing were abridged. The apex court stated that the lower court also erred in judgement not to have dismissed the case filed...

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, will continue his duty as the nation’s police chief despite the completion of his tenure. This is the position of the Federal Government after President Muhammadu Buhari approved the extension of the tenure of the police boss by three months. The Minister of Police Affairs, Muhammad Dingyadi, announced this on Thursday while briefing reporters at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.  (Channels TV)

Ndigbo have been tasked to think towards a better Nigeria, where Igbos will be at the forefront of policy making in the country. Young Nigerian Voices (YNV), a national youth group comprising of professionals and patriotic Nigerian youths across the 36 States of the federation and the FCT, have called on Igbos, to take advantage of the ongoing APC membership registration and Revalidation exercise to join the party across the country. Alhaji Ibrahim Bature, National Coordinator (YNV), stated this when the South East Zone of the group paid him a courtesy visit at his office in Abuja, recently. In his speech, He tasked the south east, to see reasons to join APC enmasse in the ongoing exercise of the ruling party, now the ovation is loud for a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction". Alhaji Bature said, having strong players at the centre matters a lot in terms of power sharing and amenities, hence the reason why the geopolitical region should register emasse in the party's registr...

The leading Governorship candidate of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in the November 6 election, Engr. Chris Emeka Azubogu, has called on the State government and Ndi Anambra to be safety conscious especially against fire outbreaks in the State. Anambra  State recorded over five major fire outbreaks last month (January). Azubogu, who is representing Nnewi North/Nnewi South/Ekwusigo Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, made the call in his new month message to Ndi Anambra released through his Office, Azubogu Media Office. According to Azubogu, "We had a challenging month with a number of fire outbreaks in different locations in the State last month, which was regrettable, considering the damages to our people's efforts. I therefore, call for proactive safety measures on the side of the people and government this month and going forward." The PDP Governorship aspirant for November 6 election also prayed that God will guide and protect Ndi Anambra in this ...

  ... Visits Onitsha, promises Strategic Urban Renewal programme  The leading Governorship candidate of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in the November 6 election, Engr. Chris Azubogu, on Sunday pledged to execute a Strategic Urban Renewal programme that would return Onitsha as catalyst for economic transformation of Anambra State.  Engr Azubogu made the statement in Onitsha when he met with members of PDP in Onitsha South and North LGAs over his intention to run for the Governorship of Anambra State.  According to the leading PDP Governorship aspirant, "we must reopen the conversation on the need to return Onitsha as a catalyst for a strong Anambra economy. "My promise is that if elected as the Governor of Anambra State, we are going to pursue a Strategic Urban Renewal programme for the Onitsha cluster, which will enhance the Commercial, Residential and Industrial potentials of Onitsha as a catalyst for a thriving Anambra economy of our dream." Azubogu who met w...