Rivers
Priest Tasks Christians On Truth
Christians have been told to speak the truth at all times irrespective of the consequences and judgement of man.
The Parish Priest of St Mary’s Commandery, Atali, Port Harcourt, Rev Fr Edward Patta gave this charge yesterday at a special thanksgiving service of 40 newly inducted Knights of St John International.
According to him, the drunk and down trodden speak the truth while the highly placed persons shy away from speaking the truth because of personal identification.
The man of God urged Christians to emulate John the Baptist who was courageous in telling the truth even before King Herod.
He said though the truth of John the Baptist resulted in his death, he became one of the greatest and had everlasting joy.
“If you must have joy that will last, do the work of God without expecting reward. You will suffer humiliation while serving God and telling the truth. When you pass through this, rejoice for your joy and reward is in Heaven,” he said.
The Business Development Director of Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, Mr Valentine Ugboma was one of the 40 newly inducted Knights of St John International.
Mr Ugboma who was delighted for the honour, said it would spur him to do more in the service to God and mankind.
Speaking to The Tide, the Port Harcourt Grani President, Brig Gen George Ikioumoton said the newly inducted knights successfully scaled through rigorous stages of screening and catechesis.
“Our expectations from them are high and I hope they shall undoubtedly justify the confidence we have in them. We expect them to stand tall amongst their peers in their places of work and businesses. We expect them to defend the catholic faith and doctrines of the church and finally we expect them to be worthy ambassadors”, he said.
He revealed that a one week retreat was orgnised to train and educate the new knights on how to dedicate their lives to the service of God through evangelism.
Chris Oluoh
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