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PH Agog As NBA Holds 61st Annual Confab …Over 14, 514 Lawyers Storm Garden City …Eight-Day Event Features 50 Speakers, 28 Sessions
As the 61st edition of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) annual conference continues in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital has been agog with various activities, including economic, social, among others, taking the centre-stage.
The conference, which commenced on October 22, at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Elekahia, with the theme, “Taking The Lead”, will end on October 29, with more than 50 subject matter speakers in over 28 sessions.
Lined up to make the conference memorable are various sports activities, including football, table tennis, golf, chess, and scrabble; and social events that include networking, dinners, cocktails, photo booth, live band, comedy, dance performances, presentation of trophies and prizes to winners of various sporting competitions, and awards presentation to distinguished persons both in the profession and other vocations and careers.
The Tide gathered that inter branch football competition began last Saturday and would end on October 28, just as Juma’at Service held last Friday at Rivers State Central Mosque, Niger Street, to herald the commencement of the conference, with health talk at Real Madrid Football Academy on Saturday, and multidenominational thanksgiving service at Christ Church Interdenominational, Forces Avenue, Port Harcourt, yesterday.
The Tide learnt that the official opening ceremonies would hold, today, at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Elekahia, with the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tanko Muhammad, leading top echelon of the Judiciary in Nigeria to attend, while many state governors, state and federal lawmakers, politicians, captains of industry, ministers, and law professional across Africa and the globe, would participate and or headline the epoch-making NBAAGC21.
Already, business activities are booming in all sectors in the state capital, with hotels, transport companies and commercial transport operators, airlines, and small businesses making brisk turnovers, as the more than 14, 514 participants relish the opportunities the state offers.
A visit to the venue of the event revealed a beehive of business activities around the entire circumference of the stadium, including the adjoining Real Madrid Academy, the two State School premises nearby, and other hitherto empty spaces around the stadium have been converted to a sprawling economic and social epicentre for commerce and networking, with thousands of people buying and selling all manner of goods and services.
The Tide further noticed high level of security presence at strategic locations to provide adequate security around the area, with the operatives of the police, Department of State Service (DSS), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), among others, deployed to perform assigned duties in line with their legitimate mandates.
Also, heavy vehicular movement was witnessed on the various intersections and roads leading in and out of the stadium, particularly the Rumuomai-Elekahia and Ken Saro-Wiwa (Stadium) roads.
The Tide also discovered that virtually all hotels in and around Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas have been fully booked for the conference, showing a bustling boom in the hospitality industry.
The airlines and inter-city transport companies are not left out, as virtually all seats in planes flying into Port Harcourt International Airport and vehicles coming into Port Harcourt from major cities of Abuja, Lagos, and 34 other cities across Nigeria had been sold out from Saturday through today.
Social life has witnessed tremendous make-over with many eateries, restaurants, cinemas, clubs, recreational centres, sports facilities entertaining customers and visitors to full capacity.
In a statement, the former National Welfare Secretary of the NBA, Adesina Adegbite, welcomed members of the association to the 61st Annual General Conference (AGC), and commended the leadership of the NBA for the choice of the topic and for taking a lead in capacity building.
He said, “With great delight, I welcome all distinguished delegates to this year’s NBA Annual General Conference holding in Port Harcourt, which commenced on Friday, October 22, 2021.
“This year’s Theme: ‘Taking the Lead’ is quite apt and ripe for discussions and evaluation at this present time where it is demanding on legal practitioners to lead by example and be at the frontline of leadership.
“I must commend the present executives of our dear association for taking the lead in various spheres, especially in the area of capacity building for members of the association.”
Adegbite also commended the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike for what he described as “sterling performance” in infrastructural development which has made it possible to host the AGC.
“I must also salute the very dynamic Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike (Life Bencher), for his sterling performance resulting in the unprecedented infrastructural development projects in the state, which has made it possible for Port Harcourt to host the largest gathering of lawyers anywhere in the world.
“I look forward to the exhilarating activities, the intellectual discussions and impactful experience yet to unfold during the conference. I encourage us all to prepare to learn, network and have fun and most importantly take the lead and leave a positive impact on others,” he said.
Also, the African Women Lawyers’ Association (AWLA) hailed the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on its 2021 Conference.
In a statement, the President of AWLA, Mandy Demechi-Asagba said: “We at African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA) felicitate with the President, Mr. Olumide Akpata, and the entire members of the Nigerian Bar Association on its Annual General Conference 2021 with the theme “TAKING THE LEAD”. The theme is apt and in season – a wake-up call to SAVE our dear country from denigration and disintegration.
“We wish all conferees a very successful, impactful, peaceful, safe and memorable conference!
“We also wish you all journey mercies and divine protection as you journey to and fro.
“We seize this opportunity to appreciate our amiable, gracious and hospitable host, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, who is poised to make our experience in Rivers State memorable.”
Similarly, Chairman of the Port Harcourt branch, Prince Nyekwere, expressed the branch’s readiness to receive the delegates and make all activities lined up for the event memorable for members.
“In terms of security, I don’t have any problem at all with Port Harcourt,” Nyekwere added.
The Chairman of the Technical Committee on Conference Planning (TCCP), Mr. Omubo Frank Briggs, said the programme of activities was put together with the interest of all members and the government and people of the state at heart.
He assured that everything has been put in place to make the events seamless and hitch-free, saying that the NBA would come out of the conference taking the lead in all fronts towards making the nation better.
The Rivers State Chief judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi has granted pardon to six inmates standing awaiting trial at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional center.
The six lucky inmates granted pardon on Tuesday by the state Chief Judge included Nwekeala Chizoba, Samuel Emmanuel, Aniete Kelvin, Ebube Fubara and Goddey Okpara who were on awaiting trial as murder suspects and have all spent between 10 years to seven years in the custody without a proper information filed against them in the court.
Justice Amadi during a special gaol delivery exercise last Tuesday at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre opined that the special gaol delivery was part of activities lined up to commomerate the 2024/2025 legal year in the State and restated the commitment of the state judiciary in decongesting the correctional centre and ensuring that those inmates who are not supposed to be there are removed from the custody.
The state chief judge stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together to build a society that supports rehabilitation and gives a second chance to anyone or group of people who have fallen short of the expectation of the law and have been punished accordingly.
He stressed that the National Judicial Council(NJC) encourages judges to pay more attention to criminal matters to enable them to decongests the correctional facilities, noting that since his assumption into office, his administration has been able to reduce the number of inmates in Nigerian Correctional Centres and the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre in particular, to less than 2,000 as against the over 4,000 inmates previously in the faculty.
According to him, “as they release the deserving inmates, they affirm their commitment to justice, compassion and rule of law but that they must not forget the fundamental principles of justice delivery system which is truth and fairness, integrity and equality before the law.”
I encourage you all the released inmates to return to your families and become better citizens. You must not engage in action that will return you all back to prison. Let me say that while the judges show empathy to you all, it does not absolved individuals from being held accountable for actions against individuals, corporate organisations and state which the law frowns at, ”he stated
The Chief Judge thereafter stood down the exercise to enable the DPP to intervene to case files following the fact that majority of the persons listed to benefit from the exercise are facing murder charges and adjourned to a date that will come before December.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the outgoing state Comptroller of Nigerian Correctional Centre, Port Harcourt, Felix Lawrence, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Controller General, commended the state judiciary led by Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi for their continuous effort aimed at ensuring justice and decongesting the facilities.
Other activities lined up for the event included special church service at St Paul’s Cathedral , Anglican Communion, Rebisi Port Harcourt, inspection of guard of honour by the state Chief Judge mounted by officers of the Nigerian police and a special court session held at the ceremonial court hall.
By: AkujobiAmadi
The Director General of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement (RBoPP), Dr. Ine Briggs, has explained that the Sir Siminalayi Fubara administration plans to enforce transparency in governance through public procurement.
Speaking at a one-day Public Procurement Enlightenment workshop organised in collaboration with the State Local Government Service Commission for newly elected chairmen, vice chairmen, secretaries and leaders of legislative assemblies, Dr. Briggs said it is key for grassroot development.
She stated that the Sir. Fubara administration plans to reduce wastage and at same time infuse efficiency in public expenditure.
The RSoPP DG said the local government political office holders remain key drivers in the new vision hence the workshop is to arm them with knowledge on how to execute projects in tandem with needs of the people.
“ Your role in the prudent management of public resources is, therefore, not just administrative it’s the cornerstone of delivering the dividends of democracy. Every procurement decision you make must reflect a commitment to fairness, transparency and accountability” Dr. Briggs submitted.
One of the key goals of the administration she further reminded the participants was to use their offices to foster economic growth through public procurement.
She warned that the law establishing the agency empowers it to penalise defaulters, but that what is more important is voluntary compliance to the laws.
In addition to that, she said urged the local government council leaders that champion the practice and implementation of public procurement law.
On his part, Acting Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Pastor GoodLife Ben Iduoku averred that the aim of the workshop is to arm key stakeholders in the local government system to generate new ideas, innovation and strategies in tandem with government policies and programmes.
The workshop dealt on various topics on procurement planning, methods, Understanding Bid Process, including types of Construction Contracts and law.
Some participants were awarded excellence and meritorious awards as part of the programme.
By: Kevin Nengia
The 19th anniversary of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Rivers State Chapter, recently ended in Port Harcourt in grand style, with participants from various schools including proprietors, the academia, civil society groups and top government functionaries charting the way forward for educational improvement.
The 19th NAPPS anniversary christened, ‘Innovation and Adaptation: Transforming Challenges Into Opportunities’ was held at Casoni Hotels, Port Harcourt.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the association, Dr. Jaja Adafe Sunday expressed gratitude to the members and executives for their untiring efforts towards the achievements of the body.
He sought the intervention of government on the lingering crisis on the economy as it is affecting the running of schools.
He decried high cost of things including fuel and raw materials which has adversely affected the running of schools and payment of teachers.
Dr. Sunday hinted that the current economic situation in the nation is biting hard on the operations of schools, saying inflation, removal of fuel subsidy, fuel scarcity, poor electricity supply, tariffs and lack of government grants are some of the challenges faced by schools, and urged the members to brace up to the challenges, as it is the panacea to building a brighter future.
Guest speakers from the health sector and the academia thrilled the gathering on the essence of basic education which they said is the key to national development.
Former Dean of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Professor Azuru and the Chief Medical Director of Meridian Hospitals, Dr. Odo Iyke were some notable guest speakers who delivered lectures at the occasion.
Some distinguished proprietors also got special recognitions and awards.
The 19th anniversary cake was cut by the Rivers State NAPPS Chairman with representatives of the state government assisting.