Niger Delta
Diri Charges Lawyers On Integrity Of Justice Delivery System …As Judiciary Rakes In N33,016,448.00, Disposes 2,575 Cases
Bayelsa State Governor, Douyi Diri has urged legal practitioners in Nigeria to refrain from making condemnatory statements on court judgments in the media, and putting a huge question mark on the integrity of the Nigerian judicial system.
He gave the charge at a ceremonial court session in Yenagoa, on Friday, to mark the commencement of the 2023-2024 Legal Year in the state.
Represented by his Deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, Diri said the practice among lawyers to speak to the press after court judgments, often condemning such rulings, undermines the integrity of the Nigerian judiciary.
The Bayelsa Chief Executive, therefore, called on legal practitioners to stop what he called “the practice of law in the media”, noting that whatever they use to qualify a court judgment, that is what the public would call it.
He stressed that there was no need for lawyers and their clients to make unguarded and disparaging comments about unfavourable court rulings as they have opportunity for appeal up to the Supreme Court.
Senator Diri, however, called on members of the Bench to be above board in their judgments to protect the image of the judiciary as the hope of the common man.
A Statement from the Deputy Governor’s media aide, Mr Doubara Atasi, quoted him as saying the act destroys the notion of the Judiciary being the last hope of the common man.
He also noted that as a people and a country, everything necessary should be put in place to improve the dispensation of justice in the Nigerian justice system.
”The first people who give the impression that justice has been miscarried are lawyers. The lawyers are the first to come out of the court to address the press, condemning court judgments.
“Whatever you call the judgment that comes out of the court, that is exactly what the public ends up calling it. I really want us to caution ourselves. Let us stop the media practice of law in our country to safeguard the integrity of the justice system.
“We need, as a people and as a country, to see what we can do to improve on what we dispense out. And to that extent, I am talking to the judges and judicial officers that make up the bench”, he said.
Meanwhile, the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Matilda Abrakasa Ayemieye, has said the state Judiciary during the preceding 2022/2023 legal year raked in N33,016,448.00 in revenue, while also disposing 2,575 cases.
“In the course of our operations in the outgone legal year, the total sum of N33,016,448.00 only, was generated as income accruing from filing fees, fines and forfeiture of bonds.
“As with the cases, the revenue for the year was slightly lower than last year due to the reasons already advanced. Without doubt, we expect to record an improvement this year.
“All we’ve achieved were possible because of the vision of the past leadership of the Judiciary and the unwavering support from the State Government, particularly the prosperity administration of our miracle Governor, Distinguished Senator Douye Diri.
“Our Mission in the last one year was to consolidate on the gains we have made and open up new frontiers. Specifically, we’ve commenced the accessibility project across the State. This project is to bring the speedy and effective dispensation of justice closer to the people of Bayelsa State.
“Efforts are currently ongoing to open all Courts outside Yenagoa to increase accessibility and reduce the cost of litigation. We’ve commenced work on the renovation of both the Magistrate and High Courts in Kaiama. Ogbia and Sagbama High Courts will follow in a matter of days.
“It is our hope that by the end of the current year, all Courts sitting outside their designated places of session would be fully relocated”, she said.
According to her, a total of 2,577 cases were pending at the commencement of the past year and were brought forward, while the total number of cases filed within the year under review was 2,834.
The total number of cases disposed of, he continued, were 2,575, noting also that total number of pending cases at the end of the year stood at 2,850, respectively.
The Chief Judge stressed that the figures given were slightly lower than those of the preceding year due to the flood break which spanned about two months in which courts were closed, and filing of cases and other activities were brought to a standstill.
She restated that the state’s judiciary look forward to recording a considerable improvement in the 2023/2024 legal year, expressing hope that floods and other intervening situations would not arise.
The Bayelsa State Chief Judge extolled the virtues of her immediate past predecessor, the late Justice Kate Abiri, nothing that the saddening events in the past weeks have made the state Judiciary under her leadership to settle for a low-key celebration for the legal year.
She also noted that the Judiciary her late predecessor handed over to her had a clearly defined vision and mission towards achieving the goal of building a world class Judiciary.
“The Judiciary that was handed over to me has a clearly defined vision and mission, with emphasis on speedy and effective dispensation of Justice.
“In pursuit of this goal, we have deployed technology, built physical infrastructure and improved on staff welfare in the past years. The Bayelsa State Judiciary is now a reference point in the use of the Court Recording System as well as the E-filing of cases in the entire country”, the CJ said.
Justice Ayemieye, who also spoke on challenges facing the state judiciary, noted that the greatest of all the factors inhibiting her effective operations was that of manpower deficit, calling on the State Governor to authorize the employment of some new staff for the state’s judiciary.
Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Biriyai Dambo (SAN), promised his willingness towards a continued partnership with the State Judiciary for effective Justice delivery, saying he was sure things can only get better for the state Judiciary.
In the same vein, in a joint address by the Yenagoa and Sagbama branches of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), delivered by the Chairman of the Yenagoa Branch of the NBA, Barr. Somina Johnbull, the NBA condemned the recent trend in which members of the public tended to deploy the use of opinion poll and protest to intimidate Judges, and pre-empt the outcome of judgement in the nation.
They called on the Judiciary and all well-meaning citizens to uphold the Rule of law at all times through the appropriate institutions of the state to avoid chaos.
On his part, a former Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General of the state, Mr Kemesuode Wordu (SAN), while speaking, advised young lawyers to be patient, hardworking and diligent.
He also implored older members of the Bench and Bar to take their healthcare seriously.
By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,
Yenagoa
The Rivers State Primary Healthcare Management Board (RSPHCMB) says it will commence Supplemental Immunization activities on Saturday, May 3, 2025, to vaccinate children from 0-5 years across the State.
The State Health Educator, Dr. Diana Babbo, who stated this during a sensitisation meeting with Media Advocate for Health, Rivers State, on the update of immunization exercise in Rivers State, said the National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) is a re-enforcement of the routine immunization at the health facilities.
According to her, it is aimed at boosting polio immunisation against the circulating variance of polio virus currently threatening the total eradication of polio in the country.
She further stated that there are four pillars of polio eradication, namely routine immunization (administered on babies in the health centre), supplemental immunization activity (supplements to boost the babies), surveillance (searching for children that have weakness in their legs or some oart of their bodies), and outbreak response.
The Health Educator noted that the Novel Oral Polio Vaccination Type 2 (NOPV 2) will be administered to children under the age of 0-5 years, which targets a specific polio still in existence in communities and capable of causing paralysis among the stated categories of children, despite the country being certified a polio-free nation.
Dr. Babbo further stated that this year’s NIPDs will address the high number of unresolved non-compliance cases in the State.
She debunked what she tagged a false rumour by mischief makers which claimed that the vaccines are responsible for the development of autism in children.
She said, “vaccines are not known to be responsible for the development of autism. We’re just hearing that. The truth is that one cannot know everything.
“That aspect that has been found, have we looked into other aspects, such as genetically modified foods, drinks, and milks that our children are taking?
“Have we also looked at genetic compatibility between couples before we now say vaccines are causing x, y, z things?
“Are we looking at the environment where these things are happening, what they are peculiar to?
“It must not be peculiar to all the families, there could be something also that’s happening around that we have not known. Research is evolving, let us not accuse our precious vaccines that have succeeded so far in my knowledge, to keep as many sicknesses at bay.
“The reason we do not have small pox in our world today, apart from the lab (a bio-lab) is because we vaccinated to the point where we were able to move small pox totally out of existence from human beings. We can succeed with that same pattern with all kinds of viruses”.
She stated that the connection between autism and vaccination could merely be coincidence.
Babbo, therefore, urged all parents, churches, and school owners to avail their children/wards the opportunity to be vaccinated against polio the stated exercise.
Sogbeba Dokubo
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has restated his administration’s commitment to providing more support to security agencies operating in the state.
He stated this on Tuesday when he received heads of security agencies, including Commander of the Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), Rear Admiral N.M. Madugu, Flag Officer Commanding Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Ahmed Gaya, and the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 16, Yenagoa, Tolani Alausa, in Government House, Yenagoa.
The Governor assured security agencies across board that his administration would collaborate with them to protect lives and property as well as critical national assets on land and the waterways by providing patrol vehicles, boats and other necessary logistics.
He informed the new OPDS Commander that the task force had a responsibility to protect critical national, state and community assets contributing not only to the daily oil production output for the federal government but also to development and growth of the state.
The Governor stressed that the partnership between the state government and the task force had ensured that crime rate in the state was reduced.
“As a government, we are working round the clock with the security agencies so that our people can sleep with their two eyes closed and also ensure that national assets are safe for the benefit of the people and the government.
“Often, it is misconstrued as though these assets are only for the federal government. Rather, they are for the state, communities and the federal government. So we must work hand-in-gloves to ensure they are safe.
“Therefore, it is our responsibility to always ensure that these critical national, state and community assets are kept safe”, he said.
Responding to the request of the Flag Officer Commanding Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Ahmed Gaya, the Governor stated that he had signed the Certificate of Occupancy of the land allocated to the Nigerian Navy at the New Yenagoa and approved a secondary school at Toru-Ebeni in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state.
He said the State Government was waiting for the naval authorities to commence development of the land.
The new JTF Commander, Rear Admiral Madugu, stated that the visit was to formally introduce himself and to solicit the government’s support to achieve his aim of protecting the critical oil and gas facilities in his area of operation and fulfil the presidential mandate of increasing oil production to 2.5mbpd.
While promising to work with the Nigerian Police to maintain peace in the state, Diri admonished AIG Tolani to be repentant and be more professional in his duties having attained a top position in the force.
The Governor, who recalled the role Tolani played when he was Commissioner of Police in the state during the 2023 governorship election, said: “Let bygone be bygone and work according to your conscience. Ensure that you are repentant and do what is right. Your zone covers Bayelsa and Rivers states and let the interest of both states be uppermost on your mind.”
On disputes among community youth associations, the state’s helmsman wielded the big stick and announced the dissolution of such body in Famgbe Community in Yenagoa Local Government Area.
He directed the Commissioner for Youth Development, working with the Commissioner of Police, to ensure a proper election is held in the community.
Diri also warned that traditional rulers whose communities were embroiled in conflicts would be sanctioned.
“Every other feuding community, including Ogboinbiri, we are still watching you. I have told all traditional rulers, if you cannot ensure peace in your domain but waiting for my wrath to dangle on you, then both traditional rulers and youth bodies will be sacrificed”, Diri said.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,
Yenagoa
The Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has said no profession in the health sector was superior to others, saying there was need for cooperation among workers in every health facility to achieve optimal results.
He stated this during a courtesy visit by the Bayelsa branch of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) to his office in Government House, Yenagoa, on Tuesday.
He assured that a good number of certified and competent medical laboratory scientists, as well as other medical and health practitioners would be employed based on the needs assessment indices at government’s disposal in the ongoing civil service recruitment exercise.
While appreciating their contributions to quality healthcare service delivery, he said government was ready to collaborate with the Association and other critical stakeholders in the sector to make health services more affordable and accessible to people of the state.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Doubara Atasi, said the current recruitment drive was aimed at addressing manpower needs in some critical sectors, including health, to improve service delivery in the state.
“We’re making progress in the health sector in Bayelsa. But we also admit that there is still much room for improvement.
“As you’re aware, applicants are applying to the state civil service, and some employment slots have been approved for Medical Doctors and Laboratory Scientists to be employed.
“We need competent and highly qualified personnel to be employed into the service to provide quality services.
“Every health worker has a role in health promotion. No profession in the health sector is superior to another. We are ready to collaborate with you to make health services more affordable and accessible to all Bayelsans”, he said.
Earlier in her presentation, the State Chairman of the AMLSN, Eunice Ayamaere Lelei, said there was need for government to employ more qualified laboratory scientists, and provide modern laboratory equipment in all its medical facilities across the state.
Lelei, who emphasized that laboratory scientists play a critical role in healthcare services in Nigeria, called for the implementation of the approved call duty allowance for members of the Association, and funding support for their Mandatory Professional Continuing Development programmes.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,
Yenagoa