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Judges nationwide are preparing to engage in important discussions to encourage alternative dispute resolution in the maritime industry.
Barrister Akutah Pius, the Executive Secretary and CEO of the Nigeria Shippers Council, announced this initiative in line with the 17th International Maritime Seminar for Judges organised by the National Judicial Institute (NJI).
Speaking on the TVC programme "Business Nigeria," Akutah emphasised that the Nigerian justice system strongly advocates for alternative dispute resolution to ensure quick dispute resolution, particularly in commercial cases such as those in the maritime sector.
He explained that prolonging commercial disputes in court hurts the economy, and therefore, promoting alternative dispute resolution is crucial for economic stability.
Call for alternative dispute resolution
Akutah also highlighted the council's efforts to encourage the use of alternative dispute resolution to foster harmonious relationships among stakeholders in the maritime sector and minimise the acrimony that often accompanies court resolutions.
He said, "The Nigerian justice system has advocated strongly for alternative dispute resolution to reduce the pressure on the court and to ensure that disputes are quickly resolved between parties, particularly commercial disputes as in the case in this sector.
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"The more time commercial disputes are wasted in the court, the more it will impact the economy because prolonged commercial disputes are not good for business and the economy. Therefore, we try to use ADR to resolve issues between players in the maritime sector to quickly move forward so that they can work together as a team without the acrimony that usually court resolutions would bring.
"To that effect, we have decided to partner with the NJI under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, which now supervises the activities of the Nigeria Shippers Council, to see how this programme, which has been ongoing for over 30 years will impact positively on the way maritime disputes are resolved."
The 17th International Maritime Seminar for Judges took place in Abuja from Tuesday, July 9th to Thursday, July 11th, 2024.