Rivers
The Tide Editor, NAWOJ Chairman Bag Ph.Ds
A staff of the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation (RSNC), publisher of The Tide Group of Newspapers, Dr. Alpheaus Paul-Worika was among the 149 graduands of the Univesity of Port Harcourt who received doctorate degrees at the 29th Convocation ceremony of the institution last Saturday.
Dr Paul-Worika, Deputy News Editor of The Tide majored in Philosophy.
The Acting Editor of The Tide, Mr Valentine Ugboma described the feat as a morale booster to The Tide family.
Mr. Ugboma who commended Dr Paul-Worika noted that the essence of journalism is that one should be indept in knowledge and that “as an expert who has got to the peak, it’s no mean achievement.”
It was a celebration galore as friends and pen pushers joined Dr Paul-Worika to celebrate his academic success.
Chairman, Rivers State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr Opaka Dokubo in a speech at the reception congratulated the duo, saying their achievements were well-deserved.
Describeing them as diligent and intelligent, the NUJ chairman expressed delight that irrespective of their tight schedules and painstaking nature of their profession, they were able to achieve the feat.
“They are our pride, I commend them for making us proud,” said Dokubo.
Dr Paul-Worka said “it’s comforting that I achieved what I set out to achieve. It was quite challenging. Sourcing materials from Nigeria and outside requires a lot of energy. The constraints were many. I give God the Glory.”
And to those who aspire to get theirs, this is his piece of advice. “Believe in yourself. Have the can-do-spirit as demonstrated by the American President Barrack Obama. There are so many things that could distract you but with strong determination, you can also get there.”
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