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By Mmaduabuchi Onwumelu

Idemili North Local Government Area Headquarters, Ogidi, was a beehive of activities on Friday, 1st November 2024, as the wife of the Executive Governor of Anambra State, Mrs Nonye Soludo Launched Healthy Living Garden Programme and Weeekly Physical Exercise in the 21 LGAs of Anambra State.<!--more-->

Launching separately the two all-important programmes at Council's Secretariat, Mrs Soludo showered encomuims on the Chief Servant of Idemili North, Hon. Stanley Nkwoka (Ochendo Idemili) for his proactiveness, coordination, diligence and ability to mobilize residents of Idemili north within shortest notice, saying that the choice of the Council area as a kick-off point was a well thought out plan and calculated attempt to leverage its numerical strength and massive population.

Uunveiling the dual programmes, Mrs Nonye Soludo explained the benefits of daily or weekly/Saturday exercise for everyone in all the LGAs saying that working out builds a sound mind for the day’s activities, cures arthritis, burns excessive fats and reduces cholesterol level, helps in blood circulation which helps longevity.

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She requested volunteers to come out to the LGA Secretariats while Communities should converge on school fields for weekly Saturday exercise.

'Today, we came with organic seedlings like cucumber, okra, pepper, lettuce, watermelon, cabbage, vegetables like bitter leaf , green,ugu,/pumpkin, water leaf etc.. In three months, some of the vegetables will be do for harvest and we shall bring it to the Farmer’s market weekly. The farm produce will be selling at a reduced price of up to 30percent from what is sold at the open market and yet people can still make millions out of their farms,' she said

According to the Governor’s wife, the visions for these two programmes aimed at making organic food and vegetables available to all households, stating that the Healthy Living Garden Programme was a deliberate strategy to kick-start a long-term agricultural revolution that would make staple crops available all year round and at a very cheap and low prices.

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'We have over thirteen vegetables and crops for each garden, we want every local government area in Anambra State to lead this crucial move that will eventually give birth to our target of establishing designated Farmers' Markets in the 21 local government areas of our state in three months time. Our vision for this project is cleanly tailored. And we're on the right path to the success story that waits ahead.

'The Healthy Living Garden Programme is a community-based initiative where each local government will be supported by the governor's wife, NGO, to start up their own gardens within the vicinities of the councils' secretariat.

'The gardens shall be manned by trained workers in the local government areas, with the supervision of the local government chairman's wives.

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'Crops to be cultivated in the gardens include tomatoes, cucumber, carrot, cabbage, hot pepper, green pepper, pumpkin, sweet corn, beetroot, garden egg, scent leaves, curry, etc.

The governor's wife, Mrs Soludo, said that the the participating local government areas would have till the next three months to start up their farmers' markets where every harvest would be sold at a rate cheaper than what is sold in the conventional markets.

She stated that the farmers' markets would be opened weeekly across the twenty-one local government areas

Flagging off the weekly exercise, Mrs Soludo explained that apart from building a community of physical health enthusiasts, she wished to use the programme to promote relationships and build a network of healthy living champions across the state, even as she charged the wife of the Idemili North, Lady Ebere Nkwoka to coordinate and lead the exercise.

Earlier in a remark, the Idemili North Chairman, Chief Stanley Nkwoka noted that the launching of the Community Garden/Farmers Market Program was timely given the hunger experienced in the country today.

'I thank Her Excellency for choosing Idemili North because it is the most populated LGA in Anambra State. It is not just about healthy exercise alone but eating well too. We have already established our farm and in three months time Her Excellency will be here to celebrate our farmers market from our own garden. We shall also take it to grassroots including Communities in the riverine areas so that we can produce vegetables right round the year,' the Council's Boss said

In their separate speeches, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike and Commissioner for Information, Dr Law Mefor urged Anambra residents to embrace Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo’s (HLWNS).

The Health Commissioner who is the State Coordinator of HLWNS initiative advised everyone to embrace the 6 pillars of HLWNS including the working out and the farmers market angle unveiled at INLGA. 'Learn any thing or knowledge that can improve one’s health including how to resuscitate somebody who suddenly slumps in a crowd demonstrated by the Red Cross society, It can extend someone’s life tomorrow,' he concluded.

Speaking during the event, The Commissioner for Information, Dr Law Mefor who thanked Mrs Soludo for choosing Idemili North, his own LGA as a place to flag off the programs assured that people of Idemili North would definitely adopt the programs on weekly exercise and community/own your organic garden project because of the health and economic benefits.

'The Governor’s wife is doing a gigantic work. She is talking about a sound mind in a healthy body. She teaches our people how to engage in exercise and also eat healthy. If you lose your health you lose everything. Health first and you are sure of any other thing. If you live healthy, you will live longer and be more productive. Do it organically, no Genetically Modified Organism (GMO),”said Mefor.

Contributing the Idemili South Chairman, Hon Mrs Amaka Obi (Iyom Ife-Abata) eulogized Her Excellency saying that the great feats achieved by Governor Chukwuma Soludo were made possible because of the full support she gives as a good and visionary wife.

'Today, Anambra enjoys free Education, free Antenatal and delivery, good hospitals,good roads infrastructure including construction of Federal roads just to make life better for Ndi Anambra. The 1 Youth 2 skills and the empowerment have transformed our youths with about 750 beneficiaries from Idemili North. Infact, in the next election we from Anambra Central and others from the entire 21 LGAs must ensure that Soludo wins in every polling unit in the coming guber election”, said Mrs Obi.

In a vote of thanks, the Leader, INLGA legislative Council (Councillors) , Hon Samuel Arinze Anikpe (Oyinatumba Wester) eulogized Governor Soludo, saying that he had indeed brought solution to many sectors of the State, pleading that even after Soludo’s second tenure which was never in contention was completed, he Soludo should make himself available to advice those coming after him because the Solution mantra had been unprecedented.

Other Dignitaries that welcomed Her Excellency during the Launch include the All Progressive Grand Alliance APGA Anambra State Chairman, Chief Barrister Ifeatu Obi Okoye, Deputy Mayor Idemili North, Hon Mrs Phina Uche Onwuachu, Traditional Ruler of Oraukwu, Igwe Dr. Barr. Emeka Onuorah and his Abacha counterpart Igwe Godwin Odiegwu, Honourable Councillors, among several Soludo support groups.