Legal Department

The Legal Department handles all legal issues involving the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and its Agencies. The Unit is headed by  a Director, Legal Services (DLS) Department.

The Director is assisted by 6 (Six) Assistant Legal Officers (ALAs). The DLS and all the ALAs were posted from the Office of the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation (HAGF). The Department is therefore an appendage to the Honourable Attorney-General Chambers and reports directly to the Honourable Minister through the Permanent Secretary.

 

Activities/Functions of the Legal Department

  • The Department is essentially a service Department, and as such its schedules relate to legal issues concerning the Ministry as they arise from time to time within and outside the Departments of the Ministry.
  • Proffering legal advice to the Honourable Minister/Permanent Secretary on any issues brought to its notice.
  • Drafting Contracts Agreements bills and Memoranda of Understanding
  • The Department is currently undertaking several topical issues and advisory matters

Achievements

  • The Department is currently handling several Court Cases involving the Ministry and its agencies. These are pending in various Courts across the Federation, and are at different stages of completion. Many of such Cases have been disposed of.
  • The Department has also recorded tremendous achievement in the preparation of Legal documents, representation in various Committees and other assignments promulgation of industry-wide policies etc.

Director, Legal Services

MRS. OJUKWU CAROL NKEM, is the Director Legal Services of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources. She is a Legal Practitioner with wealth of experience spanning over 30 years. She holds a Bachelor of Laws, LLB (Hons) Degree from the Ambrose Ali University (former Bendel State University) of Nigeria and she is a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria having been called to the Nigerian Bar.

She has worked in the Department of Public Prosecution in the Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja. She has also worked in Mining Cadastral Office- Ministry of Mines and Steel Development; Budget Office of the Federation– Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget & National Planning; Nigerian Immigration Service; Ministry of Youth, Sports & Culture and National Identity Management Commission.