Justice Onnoghen, Others Advocate Knowledge-based Adjudication of Maritime Cases
The need for judges, justices and legal practitioners to deepen critical knowledge based in maritime laws for quality adjudication processes in the maritime sector came under intense focus at the 15th Maritime Seminar for judges which began in Abuja on Tuesday.
The bi-annual seminar series is organized by the Nigerian Shippers Council in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute.
It had topics drawn from international treaties, primary, robbery at sea and legal issues, right of cargo owners at insolvency of the carrier, among others. It also had participation from Ghana, The Gambia and Sierra Leone.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria and the Chairman, Board of governors, National Judicial Institute, Hon. Justice Walter S.N. Onnoghen, who was the special guest of honour at the seminar said “the judicial officer can only perform optimally if fully aware of emerging trends in the jurisprudence prevailing in his or her area of law.”
“I am glad topics are carefully selected to broaden the knowledge base of participants. The inclusion of technology in the maritime sector for discuss is also critical,” he noted.
“I must not fail to mention that judges must continue to receive special training in order to enhance their performance which will in turn enable them to handle such technical matters for efficient operation of maritime industry” he noted.
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The minster of transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, who was represented at the event by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Alh. Sabiu Zakari, said the importance of speedy and efficient handling of maritime cases by the courts cannot be overemphasized as in maritime industry, time is money.
“In the past, dispensation of admiralty matters has been a slow and tedious process, owing to the fact that, admiralty law was taught in our universities as part of curriculum, hence limited or no expert knowledge to guide our justices/judges in disposing such matters” he noted.
“This is coupled with the fast pace of development in international trade law, which exert a lot of strain in our judicial officers of whom only come into contact for the first time with admiralty law in the court room, when such matters are broth before them for adjudication either at trail or appeal stage” he emphasized.
The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers Council, Mr. Hassan Bello said participation from other African countries is key.
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“We appreciate the participation of neighboring countries because there is no need to have fragmented maritime laws in the region,” adding that “in the next seminar, there will be a focus on laws that make trade between African countries extremely easy,” he said.
He added: “We will focus on laws that unite us. Trade among African countries is mostly difficult. We need to build the infrastructure. We must bridge the infrastructure and legal gap in trade among African countries.”
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