Rivers
Directors Seek Implementation Of GL 17
The Directors Forum of the Rivers State Public Service, has appealed to the Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi, to implement the payment of salary grade level 17 to all Directors who have served for at least four years, as obtained at the federal level and States such as Jigawa, Kano, Lagos, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom.
The request of the directors was among other issues contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a two-day refresher course for substantive directors in the Rivers State Public Service, at the Alfred Diette Spiff Sports Complex, Port Harcourt, last week.
The communiqué which was signed by the Chairman of the Directors Forum, Chief Jonathan Gunn, JP and Chairman Communiqué Committee, Samuel Iyoyo, JP, indicated that the gesture would serve as a morale booster for all civil servants in the discharge of their duties.
The Directors commended the Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, over his decision to suspend the tenure policy for Permanent Secretaries and Directors in the state public service, describing the governors’ decision as a sincere response to the fears and concerns expressed by the workforce in the state.
The forum also urged the Head of Service, Barr S.T. LongJohn, to facilitate the approval and provision of official cars to all directors in the state public service who are yet to benefit from the scheme.
Participants also lauded the concept of a refresher course for substantive directors by the office of the Head of Service and called for the sustenance of the programme.
The course also brought to bear the need for procurement of original copies of the state service rule to avoid the use of pirated copies in circulation which are mostly incomplete.
About 425 substantive directors who have served five years and above on their rank attended the course.
Taneh Beemene
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