Rivers
Commissioner Lists Gains Of CARNIRIV
The Rivers State Commission for Culture and Tourism, Dr Nabbs Imegwu, has described the State’s Annual Cultural Festival (CARNIRIV) as a catalyst in the economic development of the state as it does not only attract investment to the state, but boosts tourism and contributes to the economic growth of the state.
The Commissioner who stated this during an interview last Saturday, noted that CARNIRIV had become a Port Harcourt brand, and reiterated that the law made by the state government emphasised on continuity of CARNIRIV with the establishment of the Rivers State Tourism Agency whose responsibility would be the managing and organising of the annual event.
He recalled that in the middle of this year, government held a CARNIRIV summit, the purpose of which was to engage all stakeholders to generate ideas on how to make tourism succeed.
The commissioner noted that culture and tourism attract investors, saying, the present administration had put on ground credible investment opportunities which the people are feeling the impact.
According to him, in the past two years, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the state had improved.
Although unemployment was still very high, he said there was marginal reduction in that area, as the government had recorded milestones in security and infrastructure developmment in the state.
Imegwu observed that when the present administration came on board, nearly all hope was seemingly lost in terms of economic activities in the state, adding that government was recording laudable achievements.
On security, the culture and tourism boss disclosed that the state had one of the best security apparatuses in the country, and declared that security was now a corporate thing in the state, as this could be ascertained through the upsurge of economic activities in the state.
Jacob Obinna
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