CJN tasks judges on need to sustain public confidence in judiciary

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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”.