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Enugu Gets three High Court Judges
The Enugu State Governor, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi on Tuesday swore in Honourable Justices Linda Chiama Okibe, Veronica Chinyere Ajogwu and Esther Nnena Alukwu as Judges of Enugu State High Court.
Hon. Justice Okibe until her elevation was the Chief Registrar of the High Court of Justice, Enugu, while Hon. Justices Ajogwu and Alukwu were Chief Magistrates (Grade 1) of the state’s Judiciary.
Swearing in the new Judges, Gov. Ugwuanyi said that the action was taken in response to the decision of the National Judicial Council (NJC) communicated to him through the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the Chairman of the Council, Hon. Mr. W.S.N. Onnoghen, which recommended three persons out of the eight candidates shortlisted by the Enugu State Judicial Service Commission, for appointment as High Court Judges in Enugu State.
The governor, according to his SA (Media) Louis Amoke, noted that the appointment of the new Judges came as a “welcome relief to the Enugu State Judiciary especially in the face of the current dearth of Judges in the state”, however, pleaded with the NJC to consider the recommendation for more appointments to “enable us fill the many vacancies that currently exist in the Enugu State Judiciary”.
While congratulating the new Judges on their deserved appointments, Gov. Ugwuanyi expressed confidence that they will approach their new responsibilities with due dignity, integrity and commitment.
Presenting the new Judges to the governor for swearing in, the Chief Judge of Enugu State, Hon. Justice Priscilla Emehelu in her address stated that the Jurists were appointed by the NJC after “a long and rigorous exercise” carried out by the Enugu State Judicial Service Commission in their nominations.
Hon. Justice Emehelu added that the Enugu State Judicial Service Commission in nominating the Judges for appointment considered several qualities in line with the provision of Rules 3 and 4 of the NJC Guidelines.
The Chief Judge disclosed that the considerations were “Sound knowledge of the law; seniority at the bar and bench; geographical spread; good character; reputation; consistent adherence to professional ethics, and satisfactory and consistent display of mature judgment in the office as a Chief Registrar or Chief Magistrate”.
She emphasized that consideration was also given to the Local Government Areas in the state that had no serving Hon. Judges, attesting that the three new Judges “have over the years gathered a lot of experience on the bench which they will bring to bear at the higher bench of the High Court”.
Hon. Justice Emehelu therefore thanked Gov. Ugwuanyi for his contribution towards the appointment of the Hon. Judges, saying: “Let me before presenting them to His Excellency for swearing in put on record that this event could not have been possible but for the provision of the facilities which are preconditions for appointment of Hon. Judges”.
According to her, “this is the first time in over twenty (20) years that furnished accommodations are provided for newly appointed Hon. Judges in Enugu State. We also thank him for his resolve to reposition the Judiciary of Enugu State for effective, efficient and quick dispensation of justice notwithstanding the paucity of funds and other competing sectors”.
Responding on behalf of the new Hon. Judges, Hon. Justice Okibe thanked Gov. Ugwuanyi, the state’s Chief Judge, the National Judicial Council (NUJ) and the state’s Judicial Service Commission, etc for the elevation and promised that they will discharge their duties creditably and with the fear of God.
The Enugu State government has inaugurated a steering committee to eliminate Gender-Based Violence, GBV, in the state, declaring zero tolerance for the social malaise.
The inauguration took place at the Government House Enugu.
The panel, which is chaired by the Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Ngozi Enih, draws its membership from the Nigeria Police Force, Ministry of Agriculture and Agro Industrialisation, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ministry of Human Development and Poverty Reduction, Ministry of Trade, Investment and Industry, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education as well as the Civil Society.
Inaugurating the panel known as the Steering Committee for Strengthening Institutional and Community Responses to End Gender-Based Violence/Domestication of Enugu State Gender Policy using the Oputa Panel approach, Governor Peter Mbah restated his administration’s commitment to not bringing perpetrators of GBV to book, but also putting in place proactive measures – activities, infrastructure, and systems in place to prevent them.
Mbah, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said, “We take gender-based violence seriously. We have zero tolerance for it, and in Enugu State, we are ready to go the extra mile to deal with it.
“If you notice, the government has selected people that are very committed to this goal. This is not an activity where we just want to check-off the list. We will track this. We will monitor this, and we will have quarterly engagements on the successes that this particular committee has achieved in terms of reference that we are going to send.
“We will tighten those terms of reference indicators, so that we monitor what we are doing both in terms of cost input and the value added. It’s very important to us. Many people will be involved – civil society, the police and various ministries.”
He however, said that the effort was to protect everyone, men and women alike, as GBV was not restricted to any gender.
“The whole idea is to hold people responsible that are involved in matters relating to gender violence and deter people that by culture or by association get involved in that, protect women, protect our children, and in the case of violence against men, protect our men because most times we misconstrue gender violence to mean women, but it can also be men too.
“We encourage our men to speak out and to make sure they understand that the policy that Enugu State is soon going to domesticate is for everyone, and not only for the female gender,” he stated.
In her remark, Mrs. Enih, explained that the Oputa Panel approach was inspired by the need to cover all local peculiarities in domesticating the policy on GBV, restarting government’s confidence in the members of the panel.
“The approach we are going to use is the Oputa Panel approach, and in the Oputa Panel approach, we are going to tour the 17 Local Government Areas to get firsthand information about what our people are going through because policy is meant for the people, and a policy should suit the people.
“Again, every community has its peculiar problems, so that’s why the government decided that if we have to domesticate the gender policy, we have to hear from the people who own the policy and know the changes that they desire to see. That is the reason we are using this approach.
“The committee members are to also serve as judges. As we gather this information from our people, we will come back to tailor it in a way to suit the people of Enugu State, and then our policy is ready.
“We want the people to know that there is a gender policy for them. I can assure you that when the people are aware that there is such a policy, they will seek for the enforcement of that policy. So, this is not going to be one of those policies that will just lie on the shelf,” she said.
Digital solutions provider, Globacom, has congratulated Christians in Nigeria on this year’s Easter celebration, and urged them to emulate the noble qualities of Jesus Christ.
The company, in a goodwill message to the Christian faithful in the country, lauded their perseverance through the Lenten period which preceded Easter. It enjoined them to always promote the ideals of selflessness, love and peace among all as a way of demonstrating the virtues of the exemplary life of Jesus Christ.
“Peace, love and sacrifice are the central message of Easter. Christ offered himself in atonement for the sins of the world and he lived a life which made Him an eternal symbol of peace and goodwill for mankind”, Globacom added.
The company enjoined all Nigerians to share in the lessons of promoting selflessness, a necessary ingredient in the growth and development of every society. It also enjoined all Nigerians to join hands to make Nigeria a better place for all.
Easter is celebrated yearly at the end of the Lenten season of fasting and prayer considered as a ritual of purification for the Christian faithful. It also precedes the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ on Good Friday and His eventual resurrection on Easter Sunday.
The company assured its customers of seamless voice, data and Short Messaging Service (SMS) during and after the Easter celebrations, while urging them to avail themselves of the various data and voice offerings on the network.
The Guild of Private Broadcast Managers has extended its heartfelt congratulations to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) as it celebrates its 70th Anniversary.
In a congratulatory message signed by the Guild’s National President, Ambassador Patrick Uzoyi-Peters, JP MNGRM, the guild described the milestone as a testament to the NUJ’s unwavering commitment to upholding press freedom, journalistic integrity, and the advancement of democracy in Nigeria.
“For seven decades, the NUJ has played a pivotal role in shaping the media landscape, advocating for the rights and welfare of journalists, and ensuring that the voice of the people remains strong and unyielding. Your resilience, professionalism, and dedication to ethical journalism have been instrumental in fostering transparency, accountability, and national development”.
Celebrating this historic achievement, the Guild’s President, Uzoyi-Peters recognized the sacrifices and contributions of journalists across the nation who work tirelessly to inform, educate, and empower society.
The Guild reiterated it commitment towards collaborating with the NUJ in promoting responsible journalism and strengthening the media industry for the greater good.
While wishing the NUJ continued success, growth, and greater impact in the years ahead, President Uzoyi-Peters prayed that the anniversary serve as a renewed call to uphold the principles of truth, fairness, and press freedom in our collective pursuit of a more informed and just society.
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