Rivers
Group Decries Nigerian’s Culture Inpurity Culture
A group under the auspices of Niger Delta Civil Society Coalition (NDCSC) has decried the growing culture of impunity, saying that the tendency was destroying the fabric of Nigeria and plunging the country into a state of anarchy.
The group, which converged in Port Harcourt recently at the instance of the Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (IHRHR), observed that the culture of political impunity and apparent abuse of due process has put Nigeria democracy under threat.
The group, which conveyed their resolution in a communiqué referred to as the Port Harcourt Declaration, called for a proactive measure to curb the culture of impunity through proper awareness and staff resistance towards the abuse of due process and lack of transparency in governance.
Some salient issues raised in the communiqué include “That all elected representatives of the people and political office holders should stop the impunity culture which manifest in personalization of state power.”
“That the government at all levels should stop using regulatory agencies to settle score.
That government agencies should be transparent and accountable in the management of tax payers money.”
The communiqué also condemned “the glorification of violence, through rewards and offers at the expense of non-violent Nigerians,” and also recommended that the Police Service Commission should be autonomous to oversee and regulate the activities of the police.
The group condemned bickering among politicians over the 2015 general elections, and pointed out that the 2015 general elections should be based on merit and not on self endorsement.
The coalition also drew attention to the deplorable state of the East West road, and called for the review of the interventionist agencies in the Niger Delta Development Commission, and the Niger Dela Ministry, which they scored low in performance.
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