Rivers
Newspaper Distributors Warn Dissident Group
The Newspaper Distributors Association of Nigeria
(NDAN), Rivers State chapter has disassociated itself from a purported
statement by some persons claiming to be members of the Elders’ Council of the
association.
A
statement by the Association’s Public Relations Officer Mr. Ledum Kinanee and
made available to The Tide in Port Harcourt, debunked the claim that the
Elder’s Council led by Chief T. Eze has been dissolved and a five man committee
appointed to conduct election to replace him in three months time. According to
the statement, the signatories of the said press release are operating under
illegality.
He also said that the signatories to the statement are
not members of NDAN, nor are they qualified to issue statement onbehalf of the
union.
Kinanee, said both Peter Etuk and Samuel Walson
application to the Corporate Affairs Commission to be registered distributors,
were rejected. He explained that while Peter was suspended, Walson was ignored
because he was a member and publicity secretary of another group, and not NDAN.
He regretted that Ezeh could still fight the group after
he was reabsorbed as a member following their reconciliation meeting at the
Mile one Police Station.
The NDAN
PRO insisted that the disclaimer published in some local tabloids in the state
over Ezeh and other stands, adding that his group has reconstituted an
Electoral Committee saddled to conduct an election between the month.
However,
called on the general public to disregard the said press release, adding that
it is based on falsehood.
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