Rivers
PH Airport Users Lament Flight Disruptions
Passengers and airport users at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, have lamented over distruptions of normal flight operations occasioned by scarcity of aviation fuel, otherwise known as JetA1.
Some of the passengers lamented that their time scheduled to meet certain appointments and engagements at both ends of their movement were affected as a result of the scarcity and flight distruptions.
Passengers of various airlines kicked against the delay of their flights on Thursday and Friday to the point that some of them caused a scene at the terminal while protesting against the development.
It was, however, gathered that the delays were due to the scarcity of the aviation fuel, though some airline workers attributed flight delays to Lagos to the ongoing repairs of a runway at the Murtala Muhammad Airport, Lagos.
One of the senior staff of the Arik airline in the airport, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Tide that the JetA1 scarcity was responsible for the delays so recorded recently.
In June, the Airline Operators of Nigeria made it clear that the scarcity of aviation fuel would lead to disruption of flights, and Domestic airlines had earlier hiked fares by more than 60 per cent, citing the increased cost of JetA1.
They had also threatened to halt flight services, a development that led to the intervention of the government through the National Assembly.
Many passengers of Max Air, Airpeace airline, United Airlines, among others, condemned the flight delays, as it was learnt that some flights were actually delayed for about three hours.
Max Air, for instance, delayed a Port Harcourt bound flight for about three hours, a development that led to a protest by its passengers.
It was gathered that though the airline provided refreshments for the passengers, some of the travellers still violently kicked against the delay by the carrier.
The Tide gathered further that there was a Max Air flight meant for 9am from Abuja to Port Harcourt and it was rescheduled to 12noon. But they (Max Air) appealed to the passengers, they even gave them refreshments, but the passengers just kept protesting.
On arrival at the Port Harcourt Airport, some of the passengers were visibly unhappy and wore long face over the delays. It was difficult to even talk to friends around, as they zoomed-off immediately.
By: Corlins Walter
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