Rivers
Tide Reporter, 14 Others Cheat Death
Tragedy was averted in the ever busy East -West Road at the Ahoada axis in Rivers State when 15 passengers, including a reporter with The Tide group of Newspapers, Mr Osila King travelling in a Combi bus cheated death.
However, most of the passengers sustained serious injuries with four at critical stage at Karina Clinic and Hospital, Ahoada, where they were rushed to by officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission ( FRSC).
According to an official of FRSC, who chose to be anonymous, the Combi bus after loading at Ahoada was speeding to Port Harcourt when the driver attempted to avoid a head on collision with another vehicle in opposite direction, and suddenly applied brake which forced the car to summersaul several times.
Speaking from his hospital bed, King, who had bruises all over his body, said the incident occurred at about 7.30 am and thanked God for sparing their lives, saying that the quick arrival of the FRSC officials saved those who could have suffocated.
The Medical Director of Karina Clinic and Hospital, Dr Sonni Philip told The Tide that all those brought to his hospital were in a stable condition.
He blamed the accident on impatience of drivers, suggesting that FRSC should concentrate on road traffic education and erring drivers reprimanded instead of collecting bribes and allowing them go free.
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