Nonye Soludo Urges Ndi Anambra to Avoid Junk Food, Warns of Health Risks
Dr. Nonye Soludo, wife of the Governor of Anambra State, has strongly cautioned parents against feeding their children with junk food, emphasizing that consuming unnatural and processed foods significantly increases the risk of health problems.
She delivered this advice on Saturday during the empowerment ceremony for 1,085 less privileged and petty women traders held at the Dunukofia Local Government Council headquarters.
Dr. Soludo appealed to the beneficiaries to embrace backyard farming as a means to access fresh vegetables and natural foods, which are essential for healthy living.
She noted that good health is the foundation of productivity.
“Stop eating junk food and instead choose natural foods. Cultivate a farm in your backyard where you can grow fresh, healthy produce. Be mindful of what you eat,about 90 percent of today’s health issues stem from poor dietary choices.”she said.
Speaking about the empowerment initiative, Dr. Soludo highlighted that the programme, facilitated by the local government council, is a key focus of the current administration led by Prof. Charles Soludo.
She encouraged the beneficiaries to make the most of the stipend provided to enhance their economic growth and achieve financial stability within their households.
“The value of empowerment is not in the amount of money given, but in the effort and dedication you invest in growing your resources and becoming successful,” she said.
She cited the example of a woman in Enugu who started an akara business with a small capital and now owns bags of beans worth millions of naira.
“If you manage your business well and build trust with your suppliers, you can secure advances and grow your enterprise. Trust is essential for success.”she added.
Mrs Soludo urged the women to leverage such opportunities to expand their businesses, assuring that the state government remains open and ready to support organized cooperative groups seeking empowerment.
She said that empowering 1,085 petty women traders will have a profound impact on the local economy, fostering financial independence and lifting many families out of poverty.
She further explained that the long-term benefits of this empowerment programme will enhance the economic sustainability of Dunukofia Local Government Area and improve the livelihood of its people.
Commending the initiative, she expressed gratitude to the sponsors,Engr. Prince Arthur Eze (Ozoigbondu) and High Chief Jim Martin Nwabueze (Ichie Akunuike na Dioka) for their humanitarian spirit and commitment to improving the economic welfare of poor households in the area.
“This empowerment complements the state government’s ongoing efforts in human capital development, which include the employment of 8,115 teachers, over 1,000 health workers, digital training for more than 30,000 youths, and the ‘One Youth, Two Skills’ program that has empowered 5,000 youths with a ₦2 billion fund, with over 8,000 more to be empowered this year,” “Other government initiatives include free education in public schools, free antenatal and delivery services, and economic support through the Anambra Small Business Agency (ASBA), which offers low-interest loans and grants to small and medium-scale business cooperatives.”she added.
Wife of Soludo emphasized the importance of financial literacy among the women, urging them to invest the funds wisely and avoid diverting the money from its intended business purposes.
She warned that mismanagement of these funds would undermine the success of the empowerment programme.
She also spoke about her “Healthy Living Garden” programme, which is transforming communities, schools, and local governments across Anambra by promoting nutrition and wellness.
Dr. Soludo encouraged the women to support her advocacy to end malnutrition by referring children showing signs of malnutrition to any Primary Health Care (PHC) center in the state, noting that her “Healthy Pap” supplement is available free of charge in all PHCs, including those in Dunukofia LGA.
Addressing health and hygiene, she advised the traders to avoid harmful market practices such as preserving food with chemicals, which negatively affect public health.
Dr. Mrs Soludo commended Barrister Chijioke Ozumba, the Executive Chairman of Dunukofia LGA, for his visionary leadership and for spearheading this significant milestone in the local government’s history.
