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We’ve Fulfilled Our Promises To Judiciary, Wike Declares
Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has said that in the last seven and half years, his administration has diligently supported the Judiciary to discharge its constitutional mandate.
The governor said all the promises his administration made to the people concerning the Judiciary have been fulfilled with impressive achievements beyond the imagination of many.
Wike made the assertion in his remarks at the 2022/23 Legal Year opening ceremony at the Rivers State Judiciary Complex, Port Harcourt, last Wednesday.
The governor noted that as the third arm of government, the Judiciary plays a critical role in advancing the rule of law, justice and good governance.
He noted that on assumption of office in 2015, his administration met a Judiciary in Rivers State that was at crossroads.
“The State High Court had no chief judge, leadership, or direction for nearly two years. The governor then attempted to impose a chief judge on the state outside due process. When this devious attempt was resisted, he instigated a phantom crisis and closed down the state’s courts until he left office.
“We knew that the ensuing social and economic anarchy would ruin Rivers State without functional courts to uphold and defend the rule of law. Beyond the crisis, we also inherited a Judiciary neglected to the hilt, dilapidated and inadequate courthouses, and unpaid salary arrears.
“Our first task was to revive the Judiciary and ensure the speedy administration of justice. Without wasting time, we appointed the first female chief judge for the state, reopened the courts, and restored judicial services from our first day in office.”
He explained that his administration began rehabilitating the existing courthouses and built new ones for the State High Court.
Wike added that within the first year in office, he provided a new Special Utility Vehicles (SUVs) to judges as official cars, which have since been replaced since 2019.
The governor said that prior to his administration, judges in the state were faced with the challenge of lack of retirement home.
According to him, the government considered it morally wrong for the state to evict judges from their official quarters and force them to rented apartments after they retired from service.
“We, therefore, enacted the Judicial Officers Housing Scheme Law, and took over the responsibility of providing life-long residences for Rivers State judges, including those serving in federal jurisdictions.
“We have since implemented this law by providing 4-bedroom duplexes with appurtenances, including security and regular electricity at the ChinweAgumaJudicial Estate, to our judges.
“Similarly, those who opted not to reside in the estate were given an equivalent monetary value to build or buy similar houses.”
To further strengthen the judicial system, the governor said his administration was presently constructing a new ultra-modern magistrates’ court complex to relocate all the magistrates’ courts from the premises of the State High Court Complex.
He said the state government has also completed the Justice Mary Odili Judicial Institute, to complement the National Judicial Institute to provide relevant training and capacity building for Rivers State judges and magistrates to enhance their competences for effective service delivery.
The governor maintained that his administration has also been releasing the capital and recurrent budgets of the Judiciary from 2015 to date.
According to him, three weeks ago, the state government released over 80percent of the 2022 Judiciary’s capital votes to the state’s chief judge.
Moved by the need to expand access to the Nigerian Law School and reduce the admission backlog, the governor said the state government had requested and secured the approval of the Federal Government to build a new campus in Port Harcourt.
“We recently delivered the Nabo Graham-Douglas Campus of the Nigerian Law School to the Council of Legal Education to fulfil this promise. With a carrying capacity of over 1,500 boarding students, this campus ranks as the best law school campus in Nigeria, and will remain so for a long time.”
Furthermore, he said at the request of the Director General of the Nigerian Law School, the Rivers State Government built twin 900-bed capacity hostels and a 1,500-sitting-capacity auditorium for the YenagoaCampus of the Nigerian Law School.
Wike said he remains confident that his successor would sustain a more robust relationship with the Judiciary in the state.
In his remarks, the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Hon. Justice Simeon Amadi, commended Wike for his immense support for the Judiciary in the state.
Justice Amadi urged lawyers in the state to avail themselves of the benefits of the Multi-door Court established to ensure greater access to mediated dispute settlements, especially for the business and investment community.
He explained that the state Judiciary generated over N1.2billion in the current legal year.
On his part, the Rivers State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. ZacchaeusAdangor, SAN, described as sacrilegious unguarded verbal attacks against judges by lawyers.
Adangor said unguarded verbal attacks drain the confidence of judges, and called on lawyers to desist from castigating the judges.
Speaking on behalf of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Onueze C.J. Okocha, SAN, observed that the Judiciary was still plagued by slow dispensation of justice.
Okocha, who was the former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), suggested that to overcome this challenge, states should be allowed to determine the number of judges and magistrates they need.
Also speaking, Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Port Harcourt Branch, Barrister Victor Benibo, commended Wike for his immense contributions to the advancement of legal profession in the state and the country.
Earlier, the governor and his wife, Hon. Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike, the Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, and other top government functionaries had attended a special church service at St. Paul’s Anglican Cathedral Church in Port Harcourt to mark the beginning of the 2022/2023 Legal Year.
The Rivers State Chief judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi has granted pardon to six inmates standing awaiting trial at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional center.
The six lucky inmates granted pardon on Tuesday by the state Chief Judge included Nwekeala Chizoba, Samuel Emmanuel, Aniete Kelvin, Ebube Fubara and Goddey Okpara who were on awaiting trial as murder suspects and have all spent between 10 years to seven years in the custody without a proper information filed against them in the court.
Justice Amadi during a special gaol delivery exercise last Tuesday at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre opined that the special gaol delivery was part of activities lined up to commomerate the 2024/2025 legal year in the State and restated the commitment of the state judiciary in decongesting the correctional centre and ensuring that those inmates who are not supposed to be there are removed from the custody.
The state chief judge stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together to build a society that supports rehabilitation and gives a second chance to anyone or group of people who have fallen short of the expectation of the law and have been punished accordingly.
He stressed that the National Judicial Council(NJC) encourages judges to pay more attention to criminal matters to enable them to decongests the correctional facilities, noting that since his assumption into office, his administration has been able to reduce the number of inmates in Nigerian Correctional Centres and the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre in particular, to less than 2,000 as against the over 4,000 inmates previously in the faculty.
According to him, “as they release the deserving inmates, they affirm their commitment to justice, compassion and rule of law but that they must not forget the fundamental principles of justice delivery system which is truth and fairness, integrity and equality before the law.”
I encourage you all the released inmates to return to your families and become better citizens. You must not engage in action that will return you all back to prison. Let me say that while the judges show empathy to you all, it does not absolved individuals from being held accountable for actions against individuals, corporate organisations and state which the law frowns at, ”he stated
The Chief Judge thereafter stood down the exercise to enable the DPP to intervene to case files following the fact that majority of the persons listed to benefit from the exercise are facing murder charges and adjourned to a date that will come before December.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the outgoing state Comptroller of Nigerian Correctional Centre, Port Harcourt, Felix Lawrence, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Controller General, commended the state judiciary led by Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi for their continuous effort aimed at ensuring justice and decongesting the facilities.
Other activities lined up for the event included special church service at St Paul’s Cathedral , Anglican Communion, Rebisi Port Harcourt, inspection of guard of honour by the state Chief Judge mounted by officers of the Nigerian police and a special court session held at the ceremonial court hall.
By: AkujobiAmadi
The Director General of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement (RBoPP), Dr. Ine Briggs, has explained that the Sir Siminalayi Fubara administration plans to enforce transparency in governance through public procurement.
Speaking at a one-day Public Procurement Enlightenment workshop organised in collaboration with the State Local Government Service Commission for newly elected chairmen, vice chairmen, secretaries and leaders of legislative assemblies, Dr. Briggs said it is key for grassroot development.
She stated that the Sir. Fubara administration plans to reduce wastage and at same time infuse efficiency in public expenditure.
The RSoPP DG said the local government political office holders remain key drivers in the new vision hence the workshop is to arm them with knowledge on how to execute projects in tandem with needs of the people.
“ Your role in the prudent management of public resources is, therefore, not just administrative it’s the cornerstone of delivering the dividends of democracy. Every procurement decision you make must reflect a commitment to fairness, transparency and accountability” Dr. Briggs submitted.
One of the key goals of the administration she further reminded the participants was to use their offices to foster economic growth through public procurement.
She warned that the law establishing the agency empowers it to penalise defaulters, but that what is more important is voluntary compliance to the laws.
In addition to that, she said urged the local government council leaders that champion the practice and implementation of public procurement law.
On his part, Acting Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Pastor GoodLife Ben Iduoku averred that the aim of the workshop is to arm key stakeholders in the local government system to generate new ideas, innovation and strategies in tandem with government policies and programmes.
The workshop dealt on various topics on procurement planning, methods, Understanding Bid Process, including types of Construction Contracts and law.
Some participants were awarded excellence and meritorious awards as part of the programme.
By: Kevin Nengia
The 19th anniversary of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Rivers State Chapter, recently ended in Port Harcourt in grand style, with participants from various schools including proprietors, the academia, civil society groups and top government functionaries charting the way forward for educational improvement.
The 19th NAPPS anniversary christened, ‘Innovation and Adaptation: Transforming Challenges Into Opportunities’ was held at Casoni Hotels, Port Harcourt.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the association, Dr. Jaja Adafe Sunday expressed gratitude to the members and executives for their untiring efforts towards the achievements of the body.
He sought the intervention of government on the lingering crisis on the economy as it is affecting the running of schools.
He decried high cost of things including fuel and raw materials which has adversely affected the running of schools and payment of teachers.
Dr. Sunday hinted that the current economic situation in the nation is biting hard on the operations of schools, saying inflation, removal of fuel subsidy, fuel scarcity, poor electricity supply, tariffs and lack of government grants are some of the challenges faced by schools, and urged the members to brace up to the challenges, as it is the panacea to building a brighter future.
Guest speakers from the health sector and the academia thrilled the gathering on the essence of basic education which they said is the key to national development.
Former Dean of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Professor Azuru and the Chief Medical Director of Meridian Hospitals, Dr. Odo Iyke were some notable guest speakers who delivered lectures at the occasion.
Some distinguished proprietors also got special recognitions and awards.
The 19th anniversary cake was cut by the Rivers State NAPPS Chairman with representatives of the state government assisting.