Rivers
Commissioner Urges Compassion For Less Privileged
The Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs Ibim Semenitari, has urged the people of the state to use the period of Christmas to show love and compassion to the less-privileged in the society.
Semenitari gave the advice at the Gateway International Church yesterday during the 2013 edition of the annual Christmas Carol organised by the Network of Broadcast Media in Rivers State.
The commissioner who was represented by a Director in the Rivers State Television Authority, Mr. Obele Chu, said Christmas entailed peace, love, sharing and mutual co-existence.
She commended the Network of Broadcast Media for sustaining the annual Christmas Carol which she noted had always brought people together for merriment.
The commissioner, said the Rivers State Government was built on the foundation of God and that its strength was drawn from overwhelming support from chuches in Rivers State and the universal church in general.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Network of Broadcast Media in Rivers State, Ms Mediline Tador had stated that the programme was designed by the various broadcast media in Rivers State to reflect on the birth of Jesus Christ through choral rendition.
She pointed out that the annual Christmas Carol which commenced eight years ago was part of the responsibility of the media to educate, inform and entertain, adding that the annual musical fiesta had also been used as a platform for evangelism and soul-winning for Christ.
She commended the host Pastor, George Izunwo of the Gateway International Church for his support, and called for collaborative effort to make greater impact in subsequent editions of the programme.
The event featured music rendition from the Gateway International Choir, and the Afiba Music Academy Choir, and was powered by Monipulo, First Love Assembly, Gateway International Church, and Pabod Breweries.
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