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NON EXTENSION OF TIME FOR THE PAYMENT OF BPF, A TOTAL LET DOWN – BY MFON ISONG

Indeed, it is an unmitigated shame that inspite of the unfortunate pandemic ravaging the entire world, it is only the NBA that remains inexplicably insensitive to its damaging impacts.

I read with absolute relief few days ago, of the possibility of likely extension. But, so unfortunate and disappointing, l read a statement credited to the NBA’s President, Mr. Paul Usoro, SAN, expressing his “inability” to unilaterally extend the time prescribed by statute, vis-à-vis the payment of the BPF.

In his attempt to probably propitiate the severity of the challenges, Mr. PUSAN said he had called the Access Banks managers in the States experiencing total lockdown as “unconstitutionally” ordered by the President of the FRN, to open for the purposes of allowing our members in the affected states to pay their BPF. Alternatively, he asked the members to take advantage of the NBA’s portal.

MY TAKE!

1. With respect to PUSAN, the major problem with some of the lawyers was not how to pay their BPF. It was/is the money for that purpose. And most of these lawyers do no other things except litigation and the judiciary having been temporarily shut down prior to now, their incomes automatically experienced a serious hit, thereby making it impossible to comply with the statutory deadline.

2. Assuming, void of any sense of concession, that there were some members who could have borrowed or gotten some money to pay in the affected areas (experiencing total lockdown) and with no access to the NBA’s portal. Admittedly, the NBA’s President said he called the Access Bank managers in those affected areas. But, very unfortunately, Mr. PUSAN never considered how the members would even maneuver their ways to the banks. Knowing that the roads leading to these banks are already blocked by members of the NPF and other sister security agencies, who, most of the times are so offensively impolite and insensitive.

3. Mr. PUSAN is also credited to have said that the members should have raised this issue for deliberation in the last NEC meeting of the Bar. Then, one is but to find it extremely difficult to place a comprehensive view on the aforesaid assertion. Respectfully, everyone alive knows that the decisions taken by even the world’s leaders at the moment, occasioned by this pandemic are so abrupt with some not even considering statutory reliance. It is diametrically inexcusable to have suggested that failure to have raised same in the last NEC meeting is in anyway fatal.

4. For Mr. PUSAN to have expressed his handicap in single-handedly extending the time for payment of BPF, presupposes that he contacted the CJN/the Bench who are the principal partners and they turned him down. I want to say that, the Bench MUST always know and treat the Bar as its bride. As l always say, the ”BAR IS THE PRIDE OF THE BENCH.” And it behooves on the Bench, with respect to always be fair to the Bar. Mostly in such a deadly predicament/circumstances enveloping the world presently.

5. I won’t fail to express my deepest regret on the annoying silence exhibited by the front lining candidates in the next NBA’s elections on an issue as delicate and pitiable as this. I WON’T SAY MORE.

Let me end by saying that here was a time the lawyers needed the BAR most. But, as usual, the NBA has once again failed to give us a sense of belonging.

Mr. Mfon Isong.

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