Rivers
Stakeholders Caution On Street Begging Law
The Rivers State Government has been advised to exercise caution in the implementation of the law on the curbing of street begging in Port Harcourt.
A cross-section of Rivers people who spoke to The Tide on the issue, said that rather than making laws to ban begging, the government should come up with policies and programmes that would empower the disadvantage groups in the society.
They said that, outright proscription of begging would lead to mass suicide and anti social behaviour such as armed robbery and kidnapping.
In his view, a politician, Chief Sunnie Chukumele, urge the government to be cautious in handling issues that concern the vulnerable groups in the society.
He said that the Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation should be encouraged to deal with these group of persons while a rehabilitation centre should be established for them.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), Port Harcourt City, Prince Williams Chinwo, who described begging as a menace however said that experts should be invited to proffer solutions on ways of checking the trend.
Prince Chinwo said that the state of origin of the beggars should be known with a view to repatriating those who are not from Rivers State.
Also speaking, Dr. Ahmed Ayodete of Ayo global venture urged the government to evolve a welfare scheme for this group of persons.
According to him, government should provide them with accommodation and jobs.
Ephah Borida
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