Rivers
RSG Releases Funds For Bori Hospital Renovation
The Rivers State Government says it has released funds for the renovation of the Bori General Hospital.
The Rivers State Governor and Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) Rt.Hon Chibuike Amaechi who stated this last Saturday at the 21st Anniversary of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) in Bori, Khana Local Government Area, said he had directed the Ministry of Works to commence work before the end of February.
The governor who was represented at the occasion by the Senator Representing Rivers South East, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe said this was part of the commitment of the state government to ensure good health for its people and assured that the government would continue to join its voice for the implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report which had been ready since 2011.
He noted that the report is not about the Ogoni people, it is about the conscience, about Nigeria, there is no nation that sees that its citizens are dying and in danger, and that nation will do nothing about it.
“ Nigeria nation should rise to show conscience and must implement the UNEP report not as a favour to the Ogoni, but as a charge to the nation that other people can be remembered when it is their time,” he noted
Amaechi, however, praised the unity and peace creeping into Ogoni land, urging them to resist the pull down syndrome.
Earlier, MOSOP President, Legborsi Pyagbara had noted that UNEP submitted its report on the 4th of August, 2011 with far reaching observations but lamented that over two years later the Federal Government under President Jonathan has failed to implement the report.
Pyagbara described the non-implementation of the report as genocide against Ogoni people, insisting that the series of non-violent actions by Ogonis to push for its implementation will continue.
President, Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers, King Godwin Gininwa represented by the Mene Bua-Bagha, Mene Suanu Baridam urged the Ogonis not to relent in their quest for freedom irrespective of political affiliation and sued for the implementation of UNEP report.
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