Rivers
Journalists Want More Roles In Governance
Journalists in the Rivers
State have called on government at all levels to carry them along in the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes in order to ensure sustainable development.
The call, which was made at the event to mark the 2016 World Press Freedom Day Celebration, organised by the Rivers State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) was part of an 11 point communiqué issued at the end of the event.
According to the journalist, “Government should factor the media into democracy to enhance policies and programmes that would bring about sustainable development in the society.
“This is because every organic society is made up of sub systems that function within it, and a defect in one subsystem in adventently impairs the entire system”, they said.
They also indentified journalists as being endangered, hence the need to protect them in the course of their practice.
“The NUJ strongly appeals to the civil populace not to attack journalists performing their lawful duties in any forum”.
It further noted that it would be disastrous for press freedom if, as conveyors of information, journalists would have access to information. In order to meet the expectation of the society, the communiqué also called on journalists to carry out proper investigation “by diligently and methodically searching for underlying currents that portend danger so that by providing timely warnings, public policy can be effectively mobilized to guarantee the well-being of the citizenry, bearing in mind that the press is a trustee of the public.
Sogbeba Dokubo
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