Kachikwu looks to the Bar for strategic partnership

Honourable Petroleum Resources Minister, Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, has pledged  collaboration with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to resolve the lingering Niger Delta crises which had crippled offshore activities in the oil-rich region.

Speaking during a courtesy call by a delegation of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) led by its National President, Abubakar Balarabe Mahmoud OON, SAN, the former General Counsel of ExxonMobil, Africa, said that his Ministry had continued to engage the Ministry of Niger Delta in finding lasting solutions to the seemingly intractable crises which had crippled petroleum resources activities in the embattled Niger Delta.

On the North-Eastern axis of the country which had been wrecked by the insurgency of Book Haram, the Honourable Minister expressed the  readiness of his Ministry to collaborate with the NBA in rehabilitating the infrastructures – including building of schools, roads and houses, as would be deemed fit by the collaborative efforts.

He told his visitors that the oil sector was undergoing massive infrastructural repairs, especially on the refineries, and this huge sums of money had been sunk into the projects.

He explained that gas policies and petroleum policies were being overhauled to meet current challenges in the industry. He pointed out that a new refinery was being built in Katsina with preponderance Chinese investment.

On Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), the Minister told NBA that the present National Assembly had shown purpose and determination to see the bill through.

“The PIB has already passed the third reading,” he said. “However, we will appreciate the collaborative efforts of NBA to get the bill into a law.”

The Honourable Minister, who is a lawyer,  expressed profound delight to see the enviable activities of the Nigerian Bar Association. “Of course, I’m a lawyer. I’m very proud of the Nigerian Bar Association,” he said.  “Of all the associations I belong to, none makes me proud as the NBA.”

He, however, explained that the law practice, today, is not what it used to be 30 years ago. “Law firms have reinvented themselves,” he said. “Some are aligning themselves with world best practices which is what we are calling for. Notwithstanding, there is still respect for order and seniority in the Bar.”

The Minister called on Learned Silks and other senior members of the Bar to take another look at the poor remuneration of young lawyers, arguing that this would rub off on the image of the profession. “Elevate junior lawyers to elevate the practice,” he said.

Furthermore, the Minister observed that activism had slowed down in the Bar, and he would wish for more dynamic legal opinion on national issues.

The Minister accepted a special invitation to the national conference of NBA scheduled for August, 2017, in Lagos, following an invitation which the President, Abubakar Balarabe Mahmoud, SAN had extended to him during  his speech.

Earlier, the NBA President had told the Minister that about 106,000 lawyers were called to the Nigerian Bar out of which 40,000 were registered NBA members scattered around 125 branches across the country. He told the Minister about NBA’s Task Force on Niger Delta and  the North East Task Force and the initiatives already taken to bring law and order  to these crises-ridden regions. And, of course, he had told the Minister about NBA’s National conference, which he described as “one of our flagship events,” hoping that the next one slated for Lagos would be a defining moment for NBA and a showpiece which would afford the Ministry of Petroleum, especially NNPC an opportunity to showcase their services to the world.

The NBA delegation include, the General Secretary, Akinlolu Olujimi, SAN Dr Garba Tetengi, SAN, Prof. Muhammad Tabiu, SAN, Emeka Obegolu, former General Secretary, Oni Menakayag, Dorcas Ugwu, NBA Assistant Financial Secretary, Ifueko Alufohai NBA Executive Director, and the Directors of Bar Services and Programs among others.