Rivers
Total, NGO Launch HIV/AIDS Awareness Campaign
Total E & P Nigeria Limited in partnership with a Non-Governmental Organisation known as Nike Charity Organisation carried out awareness campaign on HIV/AIDS for Umuobor Communities in Egi clan at the weekend.
Speaking at the event, in Obagi, the Manager, Capacity Development of Total, Mr Owuso Akobo restated the commitment of the company to the well-being of the people of Egi clan and urged them to take good care of their health.
He advised them to ascertain their HIV/AIDS status, saying that “HIV/AIDS is real”.
He stressed the need for preventive measures as a way of curbing the spread of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, adding that for now there was no cure for the disease.
Mr Akobo however advised those infected with the disease not to panic as their health condition would be ameliorated with the necessary drugs.
In her keynote address, the chairperson of Nike Charity Organisation, Mrs Christiana Chuku said that 34.2 million people were living with HIV world wide.
According to her, “today is an opportunity for Total E & P Limited and private partners to spread awareness in HIV/AIDS prevention and care for high risk communities like ours”.
She explained that the awareness campaign with the theme “Getting to Zero” signified a giant stride by Total E & P Limited and other stakeholders to rise up and turn the tide of the pandemic.
“The theme is achievable if we do our little bits. We must focus on the need for relevant information, activism and compassion for people living with AIDS”, she said.
The guest Speaker, Dr Maureen Maduagwu spoke extensively on the prevention of HIV/AIDS and decried the myths and misconceptions about the disease.
She therefore enjoined the people to employ the ABC strategy – Abstinence, Be faithful and use of condom – in the prevention of the pandemic.
Reward Akwu
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