Rivers
Rivers To Benefit From FG, EU Projects
Rivers State is to benefit from the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) European Union (EU) partnership in good governance with water, sanitation and hygiene service delivery in some states of Nigeria.
The Commissioner for Water Resources, Ms Patricia Simon-Hart said this during a one day LGA Advocacy Sensitisation meeting with key stakeholders and the inauguration of state project steering committee on the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project (RWSSP) under the EU-UNICEF Niger Delta Support Programme (NDSP) in Port Harcourt.
Hart said that the EU-FGN agreement will strengthen the public expenditure management system, enhance skills and opportunities for youth as well as provides socio-economic services such as; adequate and sustainable water and sanitation.
She also said that, the programme will help to mitigate the effect of restiveness in the Niger Delta region.
“We are further informed that the EU-FGN agreement would include the establishment of the WASH institution at state and LGA levels (where such are non-existent and the reform and strengthening of the state and LGA WASH service providers for states with legal regimes already”, she said.
She also restated the commitment of the Government towards the fulfillment of the partners involvement and prerequisite for an intervention at the state level.
The commissioner said that the advocacy meeting was necessary as it has provided the opportunity for the explanation of all criteria and processes involved.
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