Rivers
RVHA Orders Query For Director
Rivers State House of Assembly recently directed the state Head of Service (HOS) to issue a query to the Director of Administration, Ministry of Health, Mrs Crystal Soberekon over negligence of duty.
This was part of the resolution of the House, following debate on the report of protest against unjustiable lay-off from service by one Mr. Barikor Deekor and others presented by the House Committee chairman On public Complaints and Petitions, Hon. Michael Okey-Chinda.
Announcing the resolution, the presiding speaker, Hon. Leyii Kwanee said the House wants to see a copy of the query and the response, noting that the era when House resolutions were treated with levity was over and directed the clerk to communicate their resolution accordingly.
The Assembly agreed with the recommendations of the committee that the appointment letters of the affected persons be released to them with immediate effect, and given appropriate levels, taking into consideration their date of first appointment.
In his report, Hon. Okey-Chinda, said the committee discovered that the petitioner and others were temporarily engaged as motor vehicle drivers with the free medical care programme (FMCP), in 2000 under the Rivers State Ministry of Health.
He further explained that as part of efforts to sustain the programme started by Governor Peter Odili’s administration in 2000, the eight drivers previously engaged as causals had their appointments formalized, following the approval granted by the state governor in April 22, 2008.
According to the chairman, “the civil service commission, following the minutes of the Departmental Selection Board (DSB) and subsequent approval by His Excellency, issued letters of appointment to the affected drivers”.
The report regretted that the appointment letters of the affected drivers among them, Barikor Deekor, Collins Ndamati and Chinda Chizi duly delivered by the civil service commission to director of Administration Ministry of Health on July 8,2008, were not released to them and no reason was given for this action
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