Rivers
Be More Careful, Detailed In Your Reportage, PS Cautions Journalists
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The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Information and Communications, Barrister Ibiwari Clapton-Ogolo, has cautioned journalists to be more careful and detailed in their reportage, especially now that people just churn out junks in the media space through the social media.
Mrs Clapton-Ogolo made the remarks in her office, last Wednesday, in Port Harcourt, when the newly elected officials of Independent Publishers Association of Rivers State (RIVPA) paid her a courtesy visit.
The permanent secretary, who advised the officials to work hard to avoid all forms of friction in the association, encouraged them to ensure that the government of the state was positively reported.
She reiterated that Rivers State, under the able leadership of Chief Nyesom Wike, has done so much for the people, calling on RIVPA to ensure that the activities and programmes of the government were properly published.
The permanent secretary emphasised that aside the numerous projects and infrastructure put in place by the governor, the government also needed to be commended for fighting criminality and insecurity head on in the state.
She, however, decried the situation where the peace and security that have made the state safe and stable for businesses and other legal activities to thrive, was not being properly reported and brought to the public glare, charging the publishers to give credence to the untiring efforts of Governor Nyesom Wike in ensuring the prevailing peace and security of the state in their reports.
Mrs. Clapton-Ogolo re-echoed the need for journalists to remind Nigerians that votes have been counting in Rivers State since the inception of Governor Nyesom Wike’s administration, and that come 2023, the people’s votes would count the more, especially now that everything has been Simplified.
Earlier in his remarks, the newly elected Chairman of RIVPA, Prince Mike Iwezor, had said that they were in the ministry to introduce the newly elected officials of the association, saying that the association and the ministry have had a mutually beneficial relationship spanning over 15 years, and thanked the permanent secretary for the warm reception accorded them.
Iwezor also said that the visit was to help strengthen the existing relationship between the ministry and the association, calling on the ministry to support the private publishers through advert placements and subventions to enable them sustain their publications now that production costs are rising astronomically on daily basis.
Present during the visit were directors of the ministry.
By: John Bibor
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