Rivers
Group Plans Rehabilitation Centre
A non-governmental
organisation labeled Pact Network has disclosed plans to establish an addiction rehabilitation centre that would cover the South-South region.
President of PACT, Rev. Christie Bature Ogbeifun made the plans public during a chat with newsmen in Port Harcourt, recently ahead of its conference tagged, “ Beauty, Brawns and Brains.”
While expressing worry over the rising spate of substance and habit addiction amongst youths in the country, Rev. Ogbeifun lamented that there is only one rehab centre in the country. Underscoring the need for a rehab centre, she disclosed that the one that the new centre would be equipped with skills and recreational facilities pointing out that, “ a rehabilitation centre is different from a psychiatry centre. A rehab centre is a saparate environment and as much as I know there is only one in the whole of the country owned by National Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA) in Bauchi”.
She hinted that the blueprint for the centre would be unveiled after the youth summit in Port Harcourt during which stakeholders would mentor young people and brainstorm, as she decried society’s decaying values that had lead so many young people into anti-social behaviour.
She advocated for good mentoring for young people saying that the country needs visionary leaders who are equipped to move the nation forward.
On why the body was embarking on such project, Rev Ogbeifun explained that it was one way to check the swelling social vices adding, “I am motivated from experience. I lost most of my relations to addiction’’.
The PACT Network founder also challenged political leaders to include young people in governance,” and also advised parents to be close to their young wards. “There is a gap between parents and young people which needs to be closed up,” she said.
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