Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Barrister Hassan Bello has solicited for the presence of the Chief Justice of Ghana, Hon. Justice Georgina Theodora Wood for the forthcoming biennial Maritime Seminar for Judges which is expected to take place in Abuja from the 31st of May to 1st of June, 2016.
Bello who led a Nigerian delegation to the office of the Chief Justice of Ghana yesterday stated that the objective of the seminar series was predicated on the need to ensure that judicial officers charged with the sacred duty of dispensing justices on admiralty matters keep abreast of contemporary developments in Admiralty Law and Practises.
According to him, “developments and changes in maritime law brought about by new legislation and judgements which overrule previous decisions as well as improvements in technology and globalisation makes it imperative that judicial officers remain vibrant and up to date in their knowledge of admiralty law.
“The importance of admiralty law and maritime practise to the development of the national economy and advancement of international trade cannot be over emphasised. In that regard, the role of the judiciary in the development of maritime law is an important contributor to the national economy of any nation.
“In Nigeria, as in most countries of the West African sub-region, Admiralty or Shipping Law was not taught as a core subject in the law curriculum both at the undergraduate and post-graduate levels, until very recently.
“It is however heart-warming to inform my Lord that some Nigerian universities have started to offer Admiralty or Shipping Law as part of their curriculum at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. This was no so in the recent past, and i must say this is one of the major benefits of the Maritime Seminar for Judges series.
“The following contemporary topics that would largely affect positively the administration of shipping transport in Nigeria are being considered for the benefit of our judicial officers, lawyers and stakeholders in the maritime industry. The topics include: Introduction to Maritime Law and Admiralty jurisdiction; Legal responsibilities of the Operators in the Maritime industry; Electronic evidence in Admiralty practise; Cyber terrorism: A growing threat to the maritime industry; the Nigerian port concession: Comparative analysis of port concession trends in the world; and revisiting the foundation of jurisdiction in Admiralty actions in Nigeria.” Bello said
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