Rivers
HOS Wades Into MHWUN, AUPCTRE Rift
The Rivers State Head of Service
(HOS), Barrister Samuel LongJohn has promised to mediate in the rift between
the Rivers State Environmental Sanitation Authority (RSESA) branch of the
Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) and the State Chapter of
the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service technical and
Recreational Service Employees (AUPCTRE) over check-off dues.
Barrister LongJohn made the promse when executive
members of MHWUN paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Port Harcourt.
The head of Service, who was presented with a copy of a
Law on the membership of Labour Unions, said the document would be carefully
studied before a decision could be reached on the matter noting that it was
essential that cordial relationships be maintained among the labour unions to
ensure optimum service delivery.
He directed the Permanent Secretary in the
Establishment, Training and Pensions Bureau, Dr. Rogers Weli to dialogue with
the State Secretary of AUPCTRE), Comrade James Kobah on the matter and brief
him on his findings.
Earlier, the Chairman of the RSESA branch of MHWUN,
Comrade Stephen Atuzie had briefed the Head of Service on the continued rift
between the union and AUPCTRE over payment of check-off dues, explaining that
check-off dues of their members in the 36 States of the Federation were usually
paid to the medical and health Workers Union.
He said the members had, for long, indicated their
desire to opt out of AUCTRE since the nature of their job had no bearing with
the union, pointing out that they joined in error through cajoling and
unfulfilled promises.
Rivers
Rivers CJ To Sanction Lawyers Who Refuse To Comply With ADR Compliance
The Rivers state Chief Judge, Justice SIMONE CHIBUZOR-AMADI has given an indication to sanction any lawyer who fail to comply with directive of a judge in the state to transferred a case to Rivers State Multi Door Courthouse for Alternatives Dispute Resolution.
Justice AMADI stated this during a brief ceremony held at the chief judge auditorium in port Harcourt Friday held to hand over certificates of operation to two private ADR chambers on Precarious Dispute Resolution Services and Harmony Arbitration and mediation center .
He urged the two private ADR centres to be diligent in the discharge of their duties and warned against compromising the standard of Alternative Dispute Resolution, ADR but should observed the regulations set out in collaboration regulation by the state Multi Door Court House.
Earlier in a address, the Director of the State Multi Door Courthouse, VICTOR NWEKE esq, highlighted some of the achievements of the Multi Door Courthouse especially in decongestion of court rooms.
NWEKE while disclosing how the department certified the two private ADR centres called for serious punitive measures be taken against any lawyer who fail to comply with a case referred to Multi Door Court House by a judge or magistrates in the state.
In her acceptance speech on behalf of the two certified private ADR centres, ALICE NIMI commended the State Judiciary and Multi Door Courthouse for the approval and assured that all the rules and regulations spelt out will be followed.
In a related development; the Rivers State Judiciary has assured its readiness to collaborate with Nigerian Securityding Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC in using Alternative Dispute Resolution to resolve some of the issues in their office.
The state Chief Judge , Justice SIMONE CHIBUZOR-AMADI made the promise when he received in audience the Zonal Commander of NSCDC, Assistant Commandant General, AYINLA TALYE OLOWO and his team who paid him a courtesy visit in his office , Friday where issuees ADR utilization took centre stage.
He used the opportunity to brief his visitors on the hurdles judges faces daily in the court room and the need for the decongestion of the court room , stressing that one judge handle more than three hundred cases but that if lawyers and litigants adopt ADR practice court rooms can be releive of the daily congestions.
The state Chief Judge however urged NSCDC to ensure a wider sensitization of the members of the public on the practice of ADR for a better awareness and knowledge.
Earlier in his speech, the Zonal Commander of NSCDC, Assistant Commandant General, AYINLA TALYE-OLOWO said the visit was to seek collaboration on the use of ADR in resolving some issues which he insisted would help decongest the courtrooms.
Our correspondent reports officials of the Rivers State Multi Door Courthouse led by the Director, VICTOR NWEKE led the team of NSCDC on a technical session where information on how to the fully in cooperated into the Multi Door Courthouse and operation of ADR will be emphasized.
Akujobi Amadi