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 noted that the workshop represent 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 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”.
“You will agree with me that there is need for trainings 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 its 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.
He therefore charged participants to discuss largely on emerging issues of the 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. 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.