The Nigerian Shippers’ Council and the National Universities Commission(NUC) on Wednesday agreed to collaborate on the introduction of Maritime Law as a course of study in Nigerian universities.
The agreement was reached in Abuja during a courtesy visit to Julius Okojie, the Executive Secretary, NUC by Hassan Bello, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council.
According to Bello, the dearth of legal practitioners and judges who are knowledgeable in Maritime law continues to hinder the adjudication of maritime cases in the country.
He said the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), directed the council to collaborate with NUC in introducing the basics of Maritime Law in curricular of faculties of Law in Nigerian universities.
Bello said that other justices of the Supreme Court had also requested the council to do same.
“This, according to their Lordships, is because until recently, Maritime Law was not taught in our universities both at under graduate and post graduate levels.
“As a result of this, our judges who are called to dispense justice on complex maritime issues, found it extremely tasking to dispose of such matters expeditiously.
“As matter of fact, some Justices of the Supreme Court and those of the Court of Appeal have in the past admitted that they had no prior contact with admiralty law until after participating in the Maritime Seminar for Judges Series.
“In several instances, their Lordships find solace in the papers that were presented at the past seminars in determining complex maritime cases.’’
The executive secretary said that Nigerians interested in developing a career in admiralty practice had to undertake such course abroad at a great cost.
He said that the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, had also lent a voice to the need for the council to partner with NUC in introducing Maritime Law to Nigerian universities.
“It is expected that the teaching of the subject as an undergraduate course will equip judges and lawyers with a better grasp of the subject matter.
“It will help speed up complex maritime cases like impounding of vessels through arrest and detention,” he said.
Bello said that the importance of Maritime sector to the development of national economy could not be overemphasized as it contributed a lot the Gross Domestic Product and created employment.
He said that if properly harnessed, the sector was a veritable source of economic sustenance and diversification, adding most countries derived 90 per cent of their revenue from the sector.
Responding, Okojie said that NUC and the council would set a committee to work out the modalities without as fast as possible.
He urged the council to do its survey and work towards capacity building in the area of manpower.
Okojie immediately nominated some staff of the commission that would be members of the joint committee on introduction of course in Nigerian universities and urged to council to d same.
“It is not something that will be difficult; we will proceed quickly.
“It will be a course that could become an area of specialty.
“We will introduce it and it will run concurrently at the postgraduate level,’’ he said.
