Rivers
RSG Threatens To Arrest Igbo-Etche Landlords
The Rivers State Government has threatened to arrest and prosecute any landlord of the Igbo-Etche Housing Estate who refuses to provide toilet facilities for his tenants.
The Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Nyema Weli who said this during a special sanitation exercise at the Igbo-Etche Housing Estate last weekend, also said that the Ministry of Environment will embark on special registration of all the affected landlords.
The commissioner who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. George Nwaeke said that it is the responsibility of the occupants of the housing estate to clean the area, warning that indiscriminate dumping of refuse and faeces in the estate will no longer be tolerated.
The Commissioner also directed the chairman of the estate to form a sanitation committee with a view to cleaning up the estate, stressing that the ministry will ensure regular visits to the estate to ensure compliance with the directives.
He called on the people of the estate to take the issue of sanitation seriously, warning that loitering during sanitation hours will not be tolerated.
Earlier, the chairman of the Igbo-Etche Landlords Committee, Mr. Tony Nwokocha said that the landlords decided to petition the ministry, following some unwholesome practices as regards the cleanliness of the estate by some residents of the area.
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