NBA VOTERS MEET, 2022 ELECTION's SESSION MADE A RETURN ON 15TH APRIL, 2022.

NBA VOTERS MEET, 2022 ELECTION's SESSION MADE A RETURN ON 15TH APRIL, 2022.

_The Forum nicknamed "ALL VOTERS CORNER" kickstarted its weekly (Fridays by 6pm) Session with the office of WELFARE SECRETARY. 

Eno Edet, Secretary of the Calabar Branch of the NBA became the session moderator; Precious Abi and Timothy Clement, both of the Port Harcourt Branch, moved and seconded the motion for adjournment, respectively, while the Resolution of the House was Compiled in print by J. E. Ibiomgbo, Benin Branch. 

_The session returns this week Friday with the office of TREASURER......see full Resolution below:

The NBA Voters meet had its second session on Friday, 15th April, 2022 with particular emphasis on the office of the Welfare Secretary.

The meeting was moderated by Eno Edet, Secretary of the Calabar Branch of the NBA. The meeting started with  with a prayer from Precious Abi of the Port Harcourt Branch and K. K. Bawa.

The meeting kickstarted with the review of the office of Welfare Secretary especially as it relates to the duties ascribed to the office under the NBA 2015 constitution (as amended). Section 5(h) of the said Constitution provides thus:

 The duties of the Welfare Secretary shall be as follows:

i. He/She shall monitor the welfare and interest of members of the Association.

ii.He/She shall bring to the notice of the National Executive Council or the National Executive 

rights, privileges, and welfare;

whether within or outside the country with a view to protecting and preserving their.

iii.He/She shall be responsible for managing the programme of assistance for incapacitated,

Committee any matter concerning the welfare of any member of the Association aged or other disadvantaged members of the Association;

iv. He/She shall be responsible for supervising the insurance and endowment programs of the Association. 

v. He/She shall perform all other duties as may be assigned to him/her by the President or the National Executive Committee or the Annual general meeting.

Members agreed that the present administration as well as the last one has tried in the welfare of its members particularly as it relates  to the NHIS scheme, free law pavilion for lawyers within range, palliative during the Covid 19 pandemic and others but noted that these duties were ascribed to the welfare committees set up by the NBA president with the welfare secretary having little or no role to play in it. The welfare secretary isn’t even a secretary of the welfare committee and his powers were seen to have been fully delegated to the chairman of the welfare committee.

Members opined that the office of the Welfare Secretary was now more ceremonial, fictional and illusive.

Members consequently reached the following resolutions:

1. That the President of the NBA should not sideline the would be office holder or usurp the powers of the Welfare Secretary. The would be office holder should also be able to  protect the office by ensuring that sensitive positions and issues are handled by the holder of the office.

2.That the Welfare Secretary should be approachable and trustworthy. The person should also be very much accessible, able to resolve conflict, a good listener, engaging,  friendly and very professional.

3. The Welfare Secretary should be one who will put the interest of members of our association before his personal interest.

4.The  constitution of the welfare committee should be done by the welfare secretary.

5. The Welfare sec. Should not be a mere appendage but well pronounced. 

6. The Welfare Secretary should suatain already existing welfare packages.

7. The Welfare Secretary should be very much concerned about innovations for lawyers.

8. The Welfare Secretary should be able to Identify complex problems and review related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

9. The Welfare Secretary should give full attention to what members are saying and take time to understand the points being made and seeking reasonable solutions.

10. The Welfare Secretary should use  logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

11. The Welfare Secretary should work hand in hand  with the President by seeing a problem nd preferring solutions to such problems.

At the end of the meeting, Precious Abi of the Port Harcourt Branch moved a motion for adjournment of the meeting which was seconded by Timothy Clement also of the Port Harcourt Branch.

Ama- Mme Anana of the Uyo Branch took the closing prayer.

Compiled by

J. E. Ibiomgbo 

Benin Branch