Rivers
RSEPA Assures On Environmental Compliance
Rivers State Environmental Protection Agency (RSEPA), says it would ensure environmental compliance within the precepts of laid down guidelines and legislation to guarantee safety standards.
The sole Administrator of the Agency, Chief Nemi Wilson Adoki who made the assertion in a chat with newsmen in Port Harcourt, said sustainable management of the ecosystem, biodiversity and conservation of natural resources would be vigorously pursued by the agency.
Chief Adoki disclosed that the new Rivers State Environmental Protection Agency was re-established on September 20,2012, with the mandate to produce a new enforceable law for the agency.
He explained that the agency was charged to improve and safeguard the environment to ensure increased human welfare delivery through efficient environmental management methods that would be economically sustainable.
The sole Administrator remarked that the agency was equally saddled with the task of providing good leadership in charting a new course for acceptable environmental practice in Rivers State.
“RESPA when fully established by an Act will become a body that would enforce the environmental standards, regulations, rules, laws, policies and guidelines. It is expected to have jurisdiction overall environmental matters” he declared.
According to him, a nine man Environmental Technical Advisory Committee has been appointed while a schedule of activities and a time-line was articulated as well as the production of a bill that will repeal the absolute Edit of 1994.
Responding to questions, the sole Administrator, said the Ministry of Environment was the policy making body while the agency undertakes the implementation and therefore solicited the cooperation of the media in information dissemination to the people.
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