By Ndife David – Awka.
As the crusade for healthy living community youth engagement across the grassroot sector of the state continue to gain momentum, many top government functionaries and stakeholders has also continue to bestow special accolade on Anambra first lady for the wonderful Initiative.
The community youth engagement program which primary objective is centered on addressing sensitive health challenges and major youth restiveness menace took another turn as the healthy living gospel crusade took a bigger turn at Awka South local government headquarters.
Addressing the youth, the Anambra State First Lady, Dr. Mrs. Nonye Soludo stated that the healthy living initiative which started as a hobby has now transformed to a passionate crusade in promoting healthy living amongst Ndi Anambra. She highlighted the importance of eating organic foods and encouraged domestic farming practice.
Mrs. Nonye maintained that her crusade does not just concentrate on promoting healthy lifestyle, but also on changing harmful social issues including cultism, drug use among children and child raising problems and noted that the healthy living initiative has been extended to schools with the aims of early enlightenment for the young pupils and students.
She also noted that healthy living remains an indispensable aspect of life, noting that her aim is to lead a campaign for a healthy Anambra State which has the home as the takeoff point.
The governor’s wife went further to reinstate her resolve to use the programme to touch many lives, with the motive of establishing a sustainable philosophy of healthy living that will benefit all ages and urge the youths to invest their vigour in making healthy living a culture in Anambra State.
Earlier, in his opening address, the transition committee chairman of Awka South Local Government Area, Hon. ThankGod A. Anagor while welcoming the ‘Healthy Living Team underscored the overall importance of health to a productive society, noting that with the rampant cases of mental health challenges, the crusade will solve disturbing societal issues.
Hon. Anagor commended Mrs. Nonye Soludo for her impressive and and yet outstanding initiative in promoting healthy living among all ages in Anambra with special emphasis on Youth, noting that through the programme, Mrs Soludo has raised renewed consciousness on critical health issues that were barely discussed.
He further to commend the Prof Chukwuma Soludo led administration for tirelessly working round the clock to ensure that positive transformation is brought to the state despite numerous huge challenges and promise to effect youth empowerment and transforming training programs aimed at helping Governor Soludo in building a livable prosperous and smart mega homeland as the transition committee chairman of Awka South Council Area.
Also speaking, the Anambra State Commissioner For Health, Dr. Afam Obidike who spoke explicitly on the important of exercise to the youth in his short lecture, harped on the need to obtain elementary knowledge of emergency basic life support skills, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and specifically addressing drug and substance abuse. He urged them to become ambassadors against drug abuse.
On his part, the Anambra State Commissioner for Youths, Mr. Patrick Agha Mba also commended the Anambra first lady for her passionate commitment and support to the government in educating the youths on healthy living lifestyle and environmental consciousness. He suggested that the Initiative be made a top priority in communities and other higher level of governmental engagement, noting that a healthy living culture and environment is far fetched without proper positive youth engagement and empowerment programs to ensure enabling environment for healthy living practice for a healthy state and a healthy nation.
Mr. Agha Mba highlighted Governor Soludo’s readiness and efforts in ensuring that every Anambra youth is positively and economically transformed and empowered to help in building a healthy, livable, prosperous and sustainable smart mega homeland.
Lending his voice, the president of Anambra State Association of Town Unions (ASATU) Youth Wing, Comrade Ken Okoli, applauded applauded the governor’s wife for taking the crusade directly to youths in the grassroots, and pledged to continue to support the programme by getting more youths actively involved in the process to live healthy and become good ambassadors of the State.
The State Coordinator Adolescent Health and Gender Equity, Mrs. Eke Evelyn Ngozi, Awka South ASATU Youth leader and other youth leaders and representatives from neighbouring Awka South communities including corps members serving in the local government area were also present at the event.
