Rivers
RSG, CJ Task Young Lawyers On Professionalism …As Wike Laments Poor Maintenance Of Law School
The Rivers State Government has called on young up-coming lawyers to imbibe the virtue of integrity, hard work, excellence and perseverance which, he said, are the hallmarks of the legal profession.
The State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, made the call while delivering his goodwill message and declaring open the two-day 2023 Annual Summit organised by the Nigerian Bar Association Young Lawyers Forum with the theme, “Breaking Barriers, Creating Future Leaders in Nigeria from the Present and next Generation of Young Lawyers”, held at the Justice Mary Odili Judicial Institute in Port Harcourt, weekend.
Governor Fubara, who was represented on the occasion by the State Attorney General/Commissioner for Justice, Prof Zaccheaus Adangor, said the theme of the summit has a lofty idea and aspiration that are essential in providing leadership, not only in Nigeria, but also across the globe.
The State Chief Executive told the gathering that as young lawyers, they must strive for hard work, perseverance and confine themselves to the ethical standards of integrity, honesty, and transparency, stressing that it was on such virtues that lawyers are trained to provide leadership in the society .
He expressed worry that most lawyers, especially the young once, are more concerned about get rich syndrome instead of striving for hard work and integrity.
“I am not against making money, but you have to strive for excellence first as a leader and perseverance, then money will come”, he stated
Governor Fubara assured that the state government would continue to play its supporting roles to the legal profession, especially in the development of the young lawyers, adding, that was what informed the past administration to assist the various branches of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in the State with N50 million each.
“Lawyers are the only professionals trained in the administration of rule of law and protection of human rights in the society, so you must strive for integrity and excellence in the pursuit of your professional responsibilities”, he urged,
Also speaking, the State Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi, described the young lawyers as pivotal and essential strength in the practice of the law profession.
Among other things, he urged them to strive in developing their educational careers, and be involved in leadership and mentoring, such as building bridges among their seniors and colleagues, adding that in doing so, they will be able to break barriers in the legal practice.
Earlier, Chairman, NBA, Young Lawyers Forum, Port Harcourt Branch, Shedrack Enebeli, said, as young lawyers, they needed to harness the abundant potentials of the country and appealed for the platform to excel in the profession.
Enebeli stated that members of the forum were willing to use their potentials to contribute to the development of the legal profession and the nation at large.
“It is important to note that this summit is not merely an event but a call to action. Nigerians, especially the youths, have expressed joy over the appointment of young Nigerians of diverse expertise into sensitive positions of authority and trust by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to foster inclusivity in the leadership of the country”, he said.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, and immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, has lamented what he called the poor maintenance culture in the Nigeria Legal Education, particularly at the Port Harcourt Campus of the Nigerian Law School.
Wike expressed his dissatisfaction while delivering his keynote address at the 2023 Annual Summit, saying that his administration initiated, built and equipped the Nigerian Law School, Port Harcourt Campus, stressing that with the huge resources invested in the magnificent structures, the present state of the law school was an embarrassment.
He, however, expressed optimism that the future leaders of the country would emerge among them, stating that it was one of the reasons the Rivers State Government, under his administration, took up the project and ensured its actualisation.
He said he had told the Director General of the Law School that he was highly disappointed at the condition of the Law School, considering the huge investment made by his administration to forestall the present rot.
“Go to that school, you will see that grass has taken over the place. We even went further to build stores and shops so that they can rent them out to maintain the school. It is easy to criticise those in authority, but when you are given (authority), you can’t perform”, he stated.
The Minister noted several challenges impeding the growth of young lawyers and urged government, prominent private legal practitioners, and firms to encourage the forum for professional advancement and fulfilment.
By: Akujobi Amadi
The Rivers State Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi, says the state judiciary has a total of 23,870 cases pending in various courts in the State.
This figure includes all cases pending in Magistrate, High, and Customary Courts, as well as Customary Court of Appeal in the State.
Justice Amadi stated this while presiding over a special court session held to mark the comencement of the 2024/2025 new legal year held at the auditorium of the High Court in Port Harcourt, Thursday.
The State Chief Judge, while giving the breakdown of performances by the Judiciary in the last year ended, revealed that the stastics of the cases brought before the courts from October 30, 2023 to 30th September 2024 is 31,886, while cases filed stood at 14,791 and cases disposed in the period under review is 22,725.
He further disclosed that the State Judiciary and the customary courts generated a total of #525,322,478,83 as revenue in the last judiciary year under review.
He described the special court session as an annual ritual of the judiciary marked to herald the beginning of a new legal year, stressing that it affords the judiciary and all stakeholders the needed opportunity to take stock of the activities of the judiciary in the past one year in order to improve, with a view to strengthening the justice administration.
The number one state judiciary officer stated that the judiciary had undertaken a lot of capital infrastructure in the year ended to ensure the comfortablility of the workers and judicial officers, and announced that additional high courts would be constructed at Okehi and Degema to ease the challenges of numerous cases coming from such jurisdictions.
Justice Amadi further disclosed that the state judiciary has a total of 51 judges, 57 magistrates, 30 Chairmen of customary courts, and 60 presiding members, adding that the state judiciary has 12 judicial Divisions, 37 magisterial Districts, and 30 customary courts.
“We lost seven judiciary staff, Port Harcourt NBA lost 16, Okehi branch 1, Bori branch 2, and Ahoada branch 2 . Creation of a judicial Division is based on cases filed from such area and we recommend for approval of such and not for politically based”, he stated.
The State Chief Judge used the opportunity to thank the State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, for the support given to the judiciary in the state, noting that the success recorded by the judiciary in the state was attributed to the huge support from the State Governor.
He also appreciated the efforts of the security agencies and the media for their various cooperation and support and urged them to sustain such in this legal year .
In their various speeches at the event, the State Attorney General and Commissoner of Justice, Dagogo Isreal-Ibroma, SAN; the Leader of the body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Rivers State, OCJ Okocha, SAN; and the Chairman of NBA, Port Harcourt Branch, Mrs. Eke Cordelia, commended the achievements recorded by the state judiciary and urged that more measures be put in place to enhance speedy dispensation of justice.
The special court session was preceded by a church service.
By: Akujobi Amadi
A religious body in Rivers State, the House of Jesus Christ Ministries, has appealed to the warring politicians in the State to stop the orgy of violence over leadership supremacy and embrace genuine dialogue.
This is contained in a recent statement by the Parish Church Council (PCC) meeting of the church.
The statement, which was signed by the General Overseer, Apostle Joseph Emmanuel; Secretary, Evangelist ThankGod Akpanowoh; Parish Women Leader, Mrs. Promise Aniebet William; and Parish Evangelist, Elder Aniefiok Benneth, noted that the spate of violence witnessed across the state has taken unimaginable dimensions with the recent killings, wanton destruction of properties, and the burning down of Council Secretariats.
It said if care is not taken, the crisis could extend to homes, and therefore called on the warring parties to stop and gove room for a lasting solution.
Blaming the Federal Government under the watch of President Bola Tinubu, who it said had been seemingly passive in handling the political difference between the former Governor of the State and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike and his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
“The kind of crisis we are seeing cannot be rationalised. Whether in Rivers or Lagos, whether we are talking of state violence of political upheavals rocking the state, we plead as a church with the contending politicians to pull back their hatchets of indifference for the sake of peace, unity, stability and progress, and allow the possibility of genuine dialogue to begin, and lasting peace restored”, the church said.
Noting that the xurrent wind of democracy blowing in the state is one of the legacies of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and others who preach peace, love and development in the state, the Church cautioned against further crises “in the once peaceful state for posterity”.
It urged the current politicians in the country to emulate the peaceful disposition and virtues of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, which is instrumental to the prevailing peace in the state, in the face of continued provocations.
By: Bethel Toby
Rivers State has topped the performance chart in the implementation of the Nigerian Community Action Resilience And Economic stimulus (NG -CARES) programme in the South-South and Nigeria.
This was contained in a report released at the just-concluded two-day peer learning and experience sharing event in Port Harcourt.
According to the report, Rivers State performed excellently in all aspects of the programme implementation.
The state was followed by Delta State, which emerged second both in the South-South and the country at large.
Meanwhile, the World Bank has approved an additional $500million for the extension of the programme for the next three years.
World Bank Task Team leader, Dr.Lire Ersado, said at the event that the programme has lived up to expectations as it has gone along way to alleviate the sufferings of millions of poor and vulnerable Nigerians.
Ersado, who was represented by Professor Folorusho Okumadewa, said NG CARES has gotten the right strategies and approach in making sure that poor and vulnerable Nigerians can smile.
He said the programme, which was initially setup to address suffering caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, is even more relevant today with a view to addressing the plights of Nigerians affected by flood and other natural disasters.
Ersado said the Port Harcourt meeting, which is the sixth in the series of meetings held across the country, will provide opportunity for all states in the country to cross check their performances with each, as well as learn from the successes and failures of each other.
Also speaking, Rivers State Commissioner for Commerce And Industry, Barrister John Otamiri, said the programme was in line with the State Government programme of alleviating the sufferings of the people.
He also said the government is ready to partner with NG CARES to alleviate the sufferings of the poor and vulnerable in the society.
Otamiri said also assures that Rivers State is safe for investment.
While reeling out its performances, National Coordinator, NG CARES, Dr. Abdulkarim Obaje, said the world Bank is passionate about the programme , adding that the bank has graciously extended the programme for another three years with an additional $500 million.
He said within the last three years $750 million was disbursed to the 36 states and FCT in 160 delivery platforms.
Obaje added that 9.2 million poor and vulnerable Nigerians also benefited from the programme across the country in the last three years.
Earlier, Rivers State Coordinator, RiV CARES, Mrs. Ephraim George Imaonyani, commended the delegates for choosing Rivers State for the South-South meeting.
By; John Bibor
