Rivers
NITP Makes Case For Town Planning
The Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Rivers State Chapter, has called for action to save the Earth from complete devastation.
Chairman of the institute, Emmanuel Ikechukwu, made the call in a statement to mark this year’s World Environment Day (WED).
Ikechukwu expressed regret that the Urban and Regional Planning profession in Nigeria has been ignored so much that it seems non-existent, whereas they played a pivotal role in planning and preserving the environment.
“It is unfortunate that in Nigeria the profession of Urban and Regional Planning has been relegated to the background. while in other climes Urban Planners are the front-liners in the fight for celebrating, restoring and protecting the environment, the reverse is the case in Nigeria.
“NITP is a major stakeholder in the builting industry, which has continuously advocated for sustainable development and has painstakingly and deliberately embarked on several campaigns geared towards changing the narrative to usher in the gains required to change the face and fate of our environment for good”, he said.
Using the occasion of this year’s World Environment Day celebration, Ikechujwu called on government at all levels to rejig the building plan approval system that is currently on metric planning standards.
According to him, they should “incorporate the growing of trees in all neighbourhoods by making it compulsory for each developer to plant at least one tree within its curtilage.
“In this order, we would boost carbon sequestration that will deliberately lead to the reduction of Co2 in the atmosphere with the focus of meeting the ambitious goal of 1.5°C.
“Together we can redeem our beloved planet earth through our collective actions. The solutions are not far-fetched, they are here with us and the technologies are available and affordable as well.
“Join the campaign today and make your little contribution towards restoring the fast fading dignity of planet earth and together we will make the world a better place for all”, he said.
World Environment Day celebration was first celebrated in Stockholm in 1972 with the slogan “Only One Earth”, which incidentally was the same for this year.
By: Tonye Nria-Dappa
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