Rivers
Commission Strategises To Check Records Falsification
The Rivers State Local Government Service Commission has restated its commitment to improve the conditions of retirees of the 23 local government councils in the state.
The chairman of the Commission, Chief Azubuike Nmerukini, who said this while declaring open a pre-retirement workshop for retiring staff of the commission last week in Port Harcourt said that towards this end the local government Pension Board is being equipped with the all necessary facilities to discharge its functions.
Chief Nmerukini, who was represented by Chief Barrister Cyprian Chukwu also expressed concern over the attitude of some civil servants who dread retirement.
He said that this situation has given rise to all kinds of falsifications including age and certificates.
He said retirement should not be dreaded by civil servants, as it will provide them fresh opportunity to engaged in other meaningful ventures.
Also speaking, the chairman, retirement committee in the commission, Engr. Kingston I Jaja, described the workshop as very significant since it is the first to be organized by the commission since its inception stressing that it was designed to create a platform forum interface between the commission and staff of the local government councils on the salient issues of retirement.
Jaja who is a commissioner in the commission urged the participants to take inspiration from their colleagues who had retired from service and still enjoying good life.
The President National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) Barrister Franklin Ajinwon described the workshop as very necessary and timely stressing that the essence is to allay the fears of workers.
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