Rivers
RSSDA Overseas Scholarship: Opens Doors For Physically Challenge
The sterling success recorded by physically challenged beneficiaries of the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency(RSSDA)’ overseas scholarship programme have opened doors for many more to explore and excel in their chosen career.
A beneficiary of the Rivers State Governor’s Special Overseas Scholarship and inmate of the Port Harcourt Cheshire Home, Miss Betty Alali Odema stated this in Port Harcourt, recently.
Odema, who said this in an exclusive interview with The Tide, noted that the programme was the greatest thing to happen to physically challenged persons in the state.
Miss Odema, who hails from Abua and a graduate of Nothingham Trent University in the United Kingdom (UK) under the Special Overseas Scholarship Programme , also emerged winner of the institution’s Vice Chancellor Award and the British Council’s Best Graduating Student Award.
Odema said that it was the first time that physically challenged persons were being incorporated into any scholarship programme in the state since its creation in 1967.
She also said that the programme seems to be favouring more children from poor than rich homes in the state.
According to her, the development was in line with Governor Chibuike Amaechi’s policy of extending equal opportunities to all classes of persons, irrespective of social backgrounds.
Odema said that apart from herself, six other inmates from the home were on the scholarship programme in the same university noting that the development has shown that physical deformity was not a barrier to academic excellence.
She said that 180 students from 180 countries competed for the Vice Chancellor award, which she eventually won.
Odema, however, said that the six of them are now facing the challenges of unemployment.
In her word, “ there, I was offered a job, but I decided to come back home to pay back what the government has done for me.
“But now, there is no work for us”, she said.
She attributed the development to the unwillingness of the Nigerian society to fully integrate the physically handicapped in the society, arguing that the situation must change.
Miss Odema, however stressed the need for sensitization of members of the society to see the physically challenged persons as bona-fide members of the society and given equal rights and opportunity to compete in all fields, including education and employment.
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