Rivers
Peace Returns To Bonny After Saturday’s Crisis
Peace and order has returned to Bonny Local Government Area after last Saturday’s protest by Youths of the area over unemployment and other agitations.
The Island, which was shut down most part of Saturday, returned to business and other activities.
Churches and business outfits have been opened as residence were seen going about their normal and lawful activities.
Meanwhile, the Bonny Local Government Council has called on residence of Bonny to remain calm, saying the council is doing everything possible to maintain peace and order in the area after the Public unrest witnessed last Saturday.
Chairman of the Council, Dame Anengi Barasua Claude-Wilcox, who made the appeal, said security agencies are doing everything possible to ensure that residents are safe.
Recall that some youths of Bonny last Saturday protested over claims of selective employment, non-implementation of the new salary structure and other concerns, which led to a total shutdown of businesses and obstruction of movement for the better part of the day.
While acknowledging that the protest was relatively peaceful, the council boss noted that the unwarranted attack on security personnel by hoodlums who sought to hijack the industrial action in order to instigate widespread violence, “is condemned and will not be tolerated”.
“It is completely unacceptable for the pursuit of the interest of any citizen to deny other citizens their right to freely pursue their own lawful engagements within the Local Government Area”, she said.
She advised residents to go about their business and lawful engagements freely and report any form of disorder witnessed.
The Executive Chairman reaffirmed her commitment and readiness to promptly wade into issues affecting the welfare and general good of the people, assuring that necessary efforts have been made to bring all relevant stakeholders to a dialogue table for a timely resolution on all concerns leading to the avoidable action.
Dame Claude-Wilcox reminded all that her administration is open to receiving public complaints and will not tolerate any form of further lawlessness.
According to her, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria does not allow citizens taking laws into their hands no matter their claims, hence “all actions and activities must be in compliance with the procedures approved by law or face the wrath of Government”.
By: Ike Wigodo
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