Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen on Tuesday in Abuja, implored judges and judicial officers to sustain the public confidence reposed in the Judiciary.
Onnoghen was speaking at a one-day workshop organised for judges on understanding the Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act 2010.
The workshop was organised by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute, (NJI),
The Chief Justice said that the workshop was aimed at keeping judges abreast with the role of the Judiciary in ensuring mastery of the dealings in the oil and gas sector in Nigeria.
The CJN who delivered the keynote address added that it would highlight matters that were germane and critical to the ongoing reforms being experienced in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
“Indeed, the adjudicatory duty of a judge can only be performed optimally when he remains up to date with the emerging developments and trends in jurisprudence pertaining to the oil and gas sector.
“The recent innovations in the oil and gas industry have inevitably introduced new legal regimes that will impact on the quality of justice delivery.
“I believe that this forum will be extremely beneficial to you in the performance of your duties and by extension the society at large.
“You must be seen to be knowledgeable in the law and be in charge of your courts to ensure speedy resolution of disputes.
“This in turn serves to assure investors and other major players in the Oil and Gas industry that their investments are safe.
He also noted that the timely interventions of the court at critical points country had contributed in no small measure to the peace and stability of the country.
“I make bold to say, without any fear of contradiction, that the Nigerian Judiciary is a key partner in ensuring stability in the oil and gas sector by interpretation of the relevant laws to the industry.”
A former CJN, Justice Alfa Belgore emphasised the need for the judiciary to enforce strict compliance with the local content laws.
“The local Content Development and Monitoring Board has been using carrot and stick approach in enforcing compliance with local content law administratively.
“It is now appropriate for the judiciary to use stick in line with rule of law to ensure total compliance,” he said.
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary, of the Board, Mr Simbi Wabote solicited the support of the judiciary to achieve the drive to create wealth for local businesses and jobs for Nigerians.
Wabote noted that an enabling regulatory framework backed with the appropriate legislation was a fundamental piece for sustainable local content practice.
Earlier, the Administrator of the institute, Justice Rosaline Bozimo said that judges were required to posses adequate knowledge and skills on oil and gas to efficiently adjudicate on cases.
“This has ultimately informed the need for this workshop to be held so as to expose judicial officers to legal and technical aspects of the oil and gas sector in Nigeria.”
Bozimo who was represented by the Institute’s Secretary, Mr Abubakar Maidona charged judges to be proactive in the discharge of their constitutional duties by not allowing technicalities stand in the way of substantive justice.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop had as its theme: “The Role of the Judiciary in the Effective Development of Nigerian Content in the Oil and Gas Industry”.
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