Rivers
IIJ, Pride To NUJ –Dokubo
The Rivers State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr. Opaka Dokubo, has described the International Institute of Journalism (IIJ) as a pride to the union in view of its critical role in the training of professional journalists in the country.
The NUJ boss made the remarks last Saturday at the 6th matriculation ceremony of the Port Harcourt centre of the institutes.
Excited Dokubo noted that the centre which was established in 1996 with the mandate to train those interested in journalism practice to have the prerequisite qualification had done well and justified its existence over the years.
Represented at the event by the Secretary of the State Council, Mr. Stanley Job Stanley, the NUJ boss said there was a time when recognition of certificates issued by the institute was a problem but expressed joy that, today, IIJ cerificates are recognized by institutions and relevant bodies across the nation, and commended management of the centre for providing improved training for students.
“The products are doing very well wherever they work and this is a clear indication of the strong commitment of the lecturers and centre management and I hope this would be sustained,” he said.
Mr. Dokubo urged the new intakes to take their studies seriously adding that, the union is waiting eagerly to receive them as members when they graduate and begin to practice.
In the address, the Director of IIJ, Dr Emman Shehu Usman said the Port Harcourt centre hasbecome one of the best in the training of journalists East of the Niger.
In his address presented by the Port Harcourt Centre Co-ordinator, Mr. Ibituru Pepple, the Director promised to consider appeals by students to reduce the new increscent in tuition fees.
He also said that the administration was committed towards providing Radio and Television Studies as well as Laboratories for better training of students.
Earlier, the Port Harcourt centre co-ordinator, Mr. Ibituru Pepple, had reassured the commitment of the centre in providing improved training for professionals in an ailing economy.
He remarked that the impressive performances of the products of the centre had marked it out as one of the best in sub-sahara Africa, and commended the leadership of NUJ in the State for its dependable support and collaboration, which he said, was instrumental to the success story of the centre.
Mr. Pepple, however, appealed formore support by the Rivers State Government, NGOs and public spirited individuals in view of the critical role of the media in the democratic setting of the country.
On the increased tuition fee as introduced by the institute, the co-ordinator, said it was aimed at meeting the economic reality of the nation, stressing that research was vital in the institute as a training cetnre.
He identified finance as the major challenge facing the centre, and appealed to authorities at the Headquarters for a five-year tax holiday to enable the Port Harcourt centre develop a permanent centre.
A total of 65 persons matriculate for the various programmes run by the institute.
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