FG moves to update judges’ knowledge of oil, gas industry

Oil and Gas Sector

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu represented by the Director, Legal Services, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mr Muhammed Saidu, Monday said that following the dynamics of the global oil and gas industry, it has become expedient for the Nigerian judges to have up-to-date knowledge of the field.

He spoke in Abuja at the Two-day workshop that the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) in Collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) held to sensitize Nigerian Judges and Justices on contemporary laws, regulations and procedures guiding the oil and gas sector.

According to him, the workshop which is the second for the members of the Bench is expected to provide participants with new knowledge and skills, capable of developing and enhancing the Judges ‘competencies for speedy dispensation of justice.

He noted that the workshop represents the Federal Government Commitment to further assist the judicial arm of government in building capacity and enhancing its competence for an effective and efficient administration of justice.

The minister said that “As officers of Justice, it is expected that you dispense justice in a more effective and judicial manner in line with our judicial guidelines”.

Furthermore, he stated that the responsibility of effective and efficient justice system could be achieved can be achieved only through training and re-training and by attending a workshop of this kind.

“The Nigerian oil and gas industry is a dynamic industry, such that the exploration, production and contraction processes are complex and rapidly changing, the need for your lordship to be up-to-date with the current happening of the industry cannot be overemphasized”.

For many years, the Nigerian oil and gas industry has been operating in an aberration of legislation and guidelines which sometimes are not in harmony with the current trends in the industry practice globally.

Kachikwu further disclosed that the  Nigerian oil and gas industry has developed on focusing in increasing indigenous participation in the industry, which is reflected through the federal government initiative of increasing local content and ensuring that indigenous company has a greater part in developing Nigeria`s oil and gas access.

“You will agree with me that there is a need for training in other to address the lacuna in terms of capacity building, this workshop will extensively look into major challenges in the administration of Justice as it relates to the Nigeria oil and gas industry, the workshop will also look into alternative dispute resolution more particularly, administration in the oil and gas argument”. He said.

Speaking, the Executive Director, PTDF, Dr Bello Gusau in his welcome address at the event in Abuja stated that currently, the operations of the oil and gas sector is complex and is also constituted by complex relationships of new laws regulations and guideline, thus, the Judicial system should align with the evolving changes in the discharge of their duties.

Similarly, Dr Bello said with the evolving laws and procedures regulating the industry, the judicial system as a major stakeholder on legal issues must make laws that correspond with these changes. “The operations and legal relationships are constantly evolving, thus laws regulations and guidelines must correspond with the change, and the judicial system must also evolve with these changes”.

He, therefore, charged participants to discuss largely on emerging issues of Nigeria`s oil and gas industry, oil and gas laws, processes and review of operations, including the issues of the oil and gas content act and resolutions in the industry.

The Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Ibrahim Muhammed represented by Justice M B Dongban Mensen noted that the collaboration with PTDF is an alliance geared towards capacity building for Justices and Judges to enable them to keep abreast with contemporary laws and procedures regulating the oil and gas sector.

“As we all are aware the impact of the sector to our economy is certainly overwhelming and the need to sustain the development on a sound and effective judiciary is essential”.

Furthermore, Justice Muhammed stated that in considering the high-risk, complex operation and gamut of legal issues that will arise from the activities of the different component of the oil and gas sector, there is a need for Nigeria`s Justices and Judges to be sufficiently skilled and proficient at all levels of the sector.

He added that in order to discharge effectively their duties, judicial officers must have the proper grasp of the law and this forum provides us with viable opportunity to achieve the same.

He assured that the Judiciary will continue to effectively play its role and support in ensuring stability in the Nigeria oil and gas sector through an interpretation of laws and applicable policies.

This forum will keep our justices and judges informed on the rudiments of the sector so that they can continue to apply the fundamental principles correctly and effectively when performing their duties, he added.

In This Story:#IbeKachikwu #MuhammedSaidu #BelloGusau #IbrahimMuhammed #PTDF #NJI

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