Rivers
HOS Advises Workers On New Pension Scheme
Head of Service (HOS), Barrister Samuel LongJohn has urged all public servants in the State who have not registered for the New Contributory Pension Scheme to do so in their own interest.
Barr. LongJohn gave the advice when members of the Rivers State House of Assembly Service Commission (RSHOASC) paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Port Harcourt.
He said pension deductions from workers salaries, suspended a few months back, would recommence in April, adding that monies deducted from those who have not registered may not be credited to their Pension Fund Administrators’ (PFAs) account.
Barr. LongJohn emphasised that the new pension scheme was obligatory for all public servants who fall under the scheme, pointing out that government would not be held responsible for any worker who did not register for the scheme.
He restated plans by his office to set up a ‘One Stop Shop’ for pension documentation to facilitate the processing of documents of pensioners to enable them get paid on time.
Earlier, the Chairman of the House of Assembly Service Commission, Mr. Omubo Princewill, who congratulated the Head of Service on his appointment, said they were in his office to discuss issues affecting the operations of the commission as it concerns issuance of circutexolowatexolowathe Head of Service to look into the case of some of their staff affected by the recent circular issued on the tenure policy, especially the case of a director employed by the commission eight years ago and is not entitled to pension or gratuity.
The chairman informed the Head of Service that all staff seconded to the State House of Assembly had been harmonised and expressed surprise at the retirement notice served on some of their staff.
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