Rivers
DELGA Budgets N4.9bn
In a bid to consolidate and fast track the pace of development in the area, the Executive Chairman of Degema Local Government Area, Hon. Ibigoni Daddy Pokima, has presented a budget estimate of N4,951,778.000.00 to the DelgA Legislative Assembly for the year 2013.
Out of the amount, N2,047,028,000.00 is proposed to be spent on recurrent expenditure, while N2,904,750,000.00 will be spent on capital expenditure.
The council boss, who christened it the “Budget of Continuity”, stated that his administration had laid a sustainable foundation for the translation of the local economy in her walk to economic freedom.
He appealed for the early passage of the 2013 draft estimate to enable his administration speed up development in the area.
The council boss, who stated that his administration had made tremendous progress in her march towards translating the dreams of the people to reality despite critical resource constrains, described 2013 as a defining moment in the actualization of electoral promises.
His stressed that government spending must ensure service delivery to help improve the lives of the citizenry, while assuring that the on-going reforms in public finance systems in the area will continue in 2013.
He words: “As we enter into the crucial moments of the second year in office, we can confidently say that we have laid a sustainable foundation for the realization of what our founding fathers craved for, and the Degema Local Government Area of our dream. This budget estimate, therefore, is to continue the translation of our local economy in our walk to economic freedom.”
“Government spending must ensure service delivery to help improve the lives of the citizery. The on-going reforms in. our public finance systems will continue in 2013 as we expect a full deployment of all the legislation backing these reform”, he stated.
The leader of the DELGA Legislative Assembly, Hon. Iboroma Abiotoa-a received the draft estimate from the council boss on behalf of the House, and assured the council boss of an accelerated hearing.
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