Rivers
Expert Seeks Effective PR In Governance
As the world marked the second World Public Relations (PR) Day at the weekend, former State Chairman of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Mr Karibi George, has urged politicians and leaders to incorporate Public Relations as tool for effective governance.
Speaking at a phone-in radio programme organised by Silver Bird Communications in Port Harcourt, Mr George said many people misconceive PR as propaganda and as such, the profession is highly infiltrated by non-professionals.
He explained that this year’s theme: “Trust, Truth and Transparency” is aimed at addressing some errors in the perception of PR activities.
George stated that the real essence of PR is to manage the image of an individual and organisation with the aim of selling truth and integrity.
The former Rivers State Chairman of NIPR stated that propaganda or twisting reality, is not the function of PR, as there is need to re-organise the profession with adequate training and retraining of practitioners.
He disclosed that efforts are currently being made to reform PR practice following the various laws enacted by the Federal Government to strengthen PR as a profession.
Against this backdrop, he added that the Federal Government Decree of 1990, which later became CAP N144 of the laws of the federation, empowers NIPR to regulate and penalise those who go outside the ethics and conducts of the profession.
By: Kevin Nengia
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