The Managing Partner, Maritime and Commercial Law Partners, Barr. Osuala Emmanuel Nwagbara has offered to give pro bono services to the Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria (MARAN) to enable it test most of the issues militating against developments in the nation’s maritime industry in court.
Nwagbara who made this offer in a one-day talk-shop organized by MARAN in Lagos recently said that beyond talking, the group should take out some of the issues and test them in court and allow the court to make pronouncements on them which he said could equally be used as a benchmark to measure performance in the industry.
According to him,” We have to keep talking about it, people say, why do we always gather here to talk about these same issues. We have to keep talking about it to compel policy change. Beyond that, I am challenging MARAN, you can go beyond talking about this, when you test some of these things in court and we are prepared to offer you pro bono services. Take out some of these cases and test them in court, let the court make some pronouncements.
”Nigerian Railways Corporation has statutory obligations for it, if it is not carrying it out, why is it not carrying it out? Ask the court to compel it to carry it out. NPA has statutory responsibility; if they are not doing that, let the court compel them. NIMASA has the responsibility to provide maritime security on our waters, if they are not doing that, let’s ask for it.
“If we get court judgment on that, we use it as a benchmark to measure performance. In fact, in developed world, you find out that somebody goes to court because $10 is involved and a principle will be established, responsibility will be established and that will be used as a future lesson, benchmark for performance, benchmark to measure rule and order in the society.
“So, I will encourage that not minding that we used to talk about it, we should be models, you always advance the way we will better our society, so just as the development affects you, you have to advance measures in ensuring that we also get the best out of those who are in position to help us”.
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