Stories by Enyeribe Anyanwu
The Chief Justice of the Federation, Mrs. Mariam Aloma Muktar has urged judges at all levels of the bench to ensure sustainable development of the nation’s maritime sector through prompt and efficient disposal of maritime cases that come before them.
Mrs. Muktar made the pronouncement while declaring open the 13th edition of the biennial maritime seminar for judges in Abuja on Tuesday. The seminar is organized by the Nigerian Shippers Council in collaboration with the Nigerian Judicial Institute.
She said the problem of proper implementation of maritime laws was the bane of the nation’s maritime industry. She regretted that the sector is full of potentials that are largely untapped for the benefits of the Nigerian people, saying that the seminar would look at the sector from all angles as well as other emerging issues in the sector.
“There have been incessant reports of pirate attacks on Nigerian waters. Most of the people involved have been discovered to have entered the country illegally. The Nigerian legal system has taken this very seriously as the fight against piracy goes beyond shooting guns,” Mrs. Muktar said.
She stressed the need to put in place legal policies that will ensure the development of the nation’s maritime industry. “There is need to restructure and reform the Nigerian system to solve the problems in the industry,” she said, adding that “the main purpose of the seminar is to sensitize the judges on what is expected of them when adjudicating on maritime matters.”
She also emphasized the need for judges to be up to date on the emerging trends in maritime law. “The judiciary should be ready to make justice accessible and affordable to all,” she stressed and urged the participants to apply themselves seriously to the discussions of the topics slated for this year’s seminar.
