Rivers
Journalists Cautioned On Undue Influence In Reportage
Journalists in Nigeria have
been told to resist attempts by media owners, the political class and parties to conflict to unduly influence their report.
This was contained in a communiqué issued at a two-day workshop on Conflict and Crisis Reporting, organised by the Nigerian Press Council (NPC) with the support of Akwa Ibom State Government held at Uyo, recently.
The communiqué signed by the Executive Secretary of NPC, Mr Bayo Atoyebi and NUJ Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Council, Mr Patrick Albert, on behalf of the participants, said the media should be pluralistic and reflect the diversity of the society giving access to various views.
According to the statement, the media as key stakeholders and purveyor of information should contribute to the maintenance of peace and reconciliation in the country by reporting conflicts and crises within the context of the code of ethics.
Mr Atoyebi said journalists should adopt the proactive measure of self-regulation to avoid government interference and censorship, while reports should be subject to self-imposed restrain within the framework of the law, to personal opinions and sentiments.
The communiqué also called for training and retraining of journalists, particularly on methods, techniques and parameters for understanding, identifying and reporting sources of conflicts and crises.
The NPC executive secretary said the aim of the workshop was to provide a platform where journalists would be guided and sensitised on their professional responsibility in reporting issues that become potential sources of conflict, escalate tension or constitute threat to the corporate existence of the country.
Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr Aniekan Umanah, who declared the workshop open said the forum was germane to the Nigerian society.
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