Rivers
HOS Advises Retirees On Productive Engagement
Retirees of the Rivers State Civil Service have been advised to consult widely before engaging in any business venture to guard against losing their retirement benefits.
Head of Service, Barr Samuel LongJohn, who gave the advice last Thursday at a send forth for retirees and end of Year Party organized for staff of the Office of the Head of Service in Port Harcourt, said the advice became necessary due to frequent cases of retirees who lost monies in fraudulent business ventures.
He noted that although delays in the processing of documents of retirees have been taken care of with the setting up of the One Stop Shop for Pension Matters, the major hurdle in the early payment of retirement benefits is the lack of funds to clear the backlog owed to retirees, stressing that he would present a request to the State Executive Council for an increase in the monthly subvention to enable retirees get their benefits on time.
Barr LongJohn, who expressed dismay at the abuse of contract appointments which he came to inherit, said such appointments should be within the provisions of the Public Service Rules which stipulates that such staff be placed on the next lower grade level, stressing that the non adherence to the Rules had hindered the progress of younger officers in the Service.
He urged those still in the Service to make punctuality and regularity their watchword adding that strict disciplinary measures would be taken against any staff found wanting, and promised to make concerted efforts at enhancing their welfare especially in the provision of staff welfare buses.
The Head of Service also threw more light on the stoppage of deductions from workers salaries in respect of a purported loan and sale of land deal entered into between some Civil Servants and a Cooperative Society, explaining that among other irregularities uncovered in the transaction, the survey plan showed that a greater part of the said land belonged to the Greater Port Harcourt City and the University of Port Harcourt.
In his opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Policy and Strategy in the Office of the Head of Service, Mr. Emmanuel Urang thanked the Head of Service for honouring the retirees and congratulated them for putting in 35 years of meritorious service to the State Government, while urging those still in service to emulate them so as to stand the chance of being honoured.
In a paper presentation entitled, ‘Review of Activities of the Office of the Head of Service: Successes, Challenges and the Way Forward’, Mr. Lambert Ekwueme, who retired as Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare, in the Office of the Head of Service, gave a synopsis of the achievements recorded within one year of assumption of office of the Head of Service which include beautification and improvement in the sanitary conditions of the State Secretariat Complex, codification of extant Civil Service Circulars, sanitization of the payroll system, among others.
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