Rivers
NULGE Hails Council Over Workers’ Welfare
The National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Rivers State chapter, has lauded the Port Harcourt City Local Government Council for its commitment to staff welfare and infrastructural development.
President of NULGE, Rivers State Chapter, Barr. Franklin Ajinwo who made the commendation in an interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt said that the union was satisfied with the performance of the Port Harcourt City Local Government Area (PHALGA) administration in the areas of staff welfare, retirees entitlements, infrastructural development and empowerment.
Ajinwo who is also the Head of Personnel Management of the council said, “I think the administration had done well as far as workers welfare was concerned – salaries have been paid promptly and very regularly. There’s no arrears of any type that is owed. “Staff entitlement has been taken care of … and staff training has also been given maximum attention. All things that have to do with workers welfare – salaries, allowances and all that have been taken care of and are up-to-date in this present administration,” he said.
Ajinwo said the administration had been able to undertake many projects such as; the Mayor’s Lodge, Basket ball pitch, Elekahia, cemetery fencing, Borokiri Police Station fencing, donation of two outboat engines to Nigerian Navy for security of the area, Abali Park fencing, Nkpolu (Mile 3) Park fencing, street lights in parts of the local government area, provision of transformers and renovation of Aggrey Road Housing Estate Community Hall, among others.
Ajinwo added that in the area of empowerment, the PHALGA administration had not also been found wanting.
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