Some vital ‘associational’ forming policies that emerged in the AGM just concluded. Among these are:
The leadership is working assiduously towards repositioning the stamp scheme. To this end digital stamp policy is being pursued and it’s at an advanced stage.
The annual branch share of a percentage of Bar Practice Fees paid by branch members are now to be pumped into the building project of NBA building in Abuja.
The second NBA property in Abuja is to be sold and its proceed used for the current project in Abuja.
The NBA Lagos building is to be used for the sections of NBA.
MY TAKE
at what NEC meeting was it resolved that the branch share of Bar Practice Fees be pumped into the NBA building project?
Did the branches who equally need these shares for their operations agree to this?
There’s a 10% share to branches of the BPF payment strictly for the welfare of members of each branch, did the branches equally yield that welfare package to NBA building project?
At Aba NEC based on a motion by Lagos Branch it was resolved branches share should be paid before June NEC meetings. When was that resolution vacated and substituted with compulsory donation of branches shares of BPF payments to NBA building project?
Most branches are equally engaged in bar centre projects and therefore need every kobo to deal with their projects. Should each branch not be allowed to debate it at their branch level if they want to waive their share of the BPF payment?
This can be likened to the Federal Govt. of Nigeria informing State Governors on the pages of newspapers that their statutory allocations from the federation account are now to be pumped into the building of a new state house in Aso Rock.
2016 & 2017 share of Bar Practice Fees paid by branch members are now outstanding, when was the resolution made? Was it in 2016 when the 2016 share became due or in 2017 when the 2016 became arrears?
The sad aspect of this situation is the criminal silence of branches in this.
Most often the branches come to either NEC or AGM expecting to go back with their cheques. In 2015 bank details were demanded from branches for direct crediting and in April 2016 branches were credited with 2015 shares, now no alert has been received ever since while the reason now is not that there is no money but that there is a resolution that the shares be pumped into the NBA building project.
How many of the branches came back to report to their members that such a resolution exists? At least no such information was passed to Lagos Branch members. In fact Lagos branch at its 2016 AGM empowered the Executive Committee to seek legal redress in recovering the outstanding if need be and in its 2017 AGM still empowered the Executive Committee to use all possible means to recover the 2016 & 2017 share of Bar Practice Fees. Little did they know that the non receipt was and is a deliberate policy.
I sincerely hope that some branches are not being paid their share secretly because I cannot understand this deafening graveyard silence by the branches.
In any case, its a brave new bar where brevity I guess, is subjective.
Just minding my business from 2017 Conference AGM.
powered by sue.ng a legal search engine