Rivers
Check Illegal Refineries, Anglican Church Urges FG …Calls for Establishment of National Truth, Peace, Reconciliation Commission
The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has expressed concern over the level of environmental degradation in the Niger Delta region owing to oil explorations in the area and called on the Federal Government to take immediate steps to curb the activities of illegal refineries in the region.
The Church also called for the establishment of a National Truth, Peace and Reconciliation Commission to make concerted effort to reconcile all the antagonising groups in the country to check the rising cases of insecurity and agitations in the country.
The calls were contained in a communique issued at the end of a meeting Standing Committee of the Church hosted by the Diocese of Evo at All Saints’ Cathedral, Rumuokwurusi and St. Andrew’s Anglican Church, Rumuobiokani in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State from February 21 to 25.
The meeting, presided over by the Primate, Most Rev’d Henry Ndukuba, had the theme: ‘The Christian’s Dual Citizenship and Responsibilities’ (Matthew 22:20-22) and had in attendance 161 Bishops, 151 Clergy and 94 Lay delegates.
In the communique signed by the Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria, Most Rev’d Henry Ndukuba; the Dean of the Church, Most Rev’d Ali Lamido; and the General Secretary, Ven. Gershinen Dajur and presented yesterday, the church also called on the government to set up modular refineries in the Niger Delta region to harness the potentials of people involved in the illegal oil refining business.
The Standing Committee commended the Federal Government for suspending the further removal of oil subsidy which would have worsened the level of poverty in the land, and encouraged the Government to show greater commitment towards rehabilitating the moribund oil refineries in the country.
It further called on related Government agencies to exercise due diligence in monitoring the importation of oil and oil related products so as to avert the importation of adulterated products into the country as was recently experienced.
It also said the National Truth, Peace and Reconciliation Commission has become necessary because of the rising cases of violence and utter disregard to the sanctity of human life in the country.
On national security, the Church noted that insurgency, kidnapping, banditry and all manners of criminality continue to bedevil the country, adding that “The insincerity of purpose exhibited by the Government in many instances have provided a thriving platform for criminal activities to destroy the lives and properties of the innocent in our country”.
It therefore called on Government to increase its effort at stemming the tide of insecurity in the nation as “the lives of Nigerians, irrespective of religion, tribe or class, matter to God”.
It also said it was disturbed by the ongoing one-month warning industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), with the lecturers consistently accusing Government of failure to keep to the terms of agreement in the past. It then called on Government to give urgent and holistic attention to the agitations in order to avert the myriad of inevitable future consequences of a destroyed educational system.
On the 2023 General Elections, the Standing Committee called on the citizenry to pray and be actively involved in working towards a peaceful electioneering process while urging the Government to ensure non-interference in the affairs of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at all levels, and provide a level playing ground for all the parties including the electorate.
On infrastructural development and transportation, the Standing Committee said it appreciated the “efforts and actions of the Federal and State Governments in infrastructural development, but calls on the relevant authorities to work on the road leading into Port Harcourt, as it does not befit this oil rich State”.
On the on-going Russia/Ukraine Conflict, the Standing Committee noted with concern the situation, and called on the Federal Government to urgently commence the process of evacuation of Nigerians in Russian and Ukraine as the war between world powers in the Eastern European country escalates.
By: Ernest Chinwo
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