Need For Emergency Intervention Fund By Way Of N1000 Airtime Recharge To All Lawyers By The Nigerian Bar Association

The Chairman Nigerian Bar Association Ado-Ekiti Branch, Ekiti-State Mr. Olakanmi Falade has called on the need for the creation of intervention fund by way of weekly N1000 GSM lines Airtime from the Nigerian Bar Association to all lawyers whose records are available on its database until the end of this pandemics. Records from the branch offices can also be accessed to supplement the records domiciled at the NBA headquarters.

Mr Olakanmi Falade made this known today 2nd of April, 2020 at Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State where he clarified that the essence of the intervention fund in a time like this is left to showcase an utmost sense of belonging, support and care to all lawyers who are by all means affected by the cessation of movement and lock down of activities at the affected areas, by way of strict compliance with the Presidential directives dated the 29th day of March, 2020.

The Chairman Ado-Ekiti Branch therefore seized this opportunity to urgently call on the National Executive Body of the Nigerian Bar Asssociation under the leadership of Mr. Paul Usoro, SAN to comply with its agenda of Corporate Social Responsibility by way of prioritising the interest and welfare of its members through the meagre support of weekly N1000.00(One Thousand Naira) Airtime recharge to all lawyers whose contacts are currently on the database of the Nigerian Bar Association or by way of eliciting for contacts of members from respective Branches until the end of this pandemics.

It is on record that Mr Falade’s leadership has exemplified what it means to take members’ welfare to the next level through his welfare suite which include: distribution of 2019 and 2020 diaries, 5kg of rice, ground nut oil, 250 life chickens to members as end of year gifts, over 120 Tablets worth N65,000 each, free hotel accommodation and transportation for members during 2018 & 2019 AGC, GSM air time for members during the first week of COVID-19 lockdown, purchase of 7.5KVA generator, free I.D cards for members, paying the school fees of a student at the Nigerian Law School, setting up state of the art lawyers’ lobby at the bar center, donation to motherless babies homes etc. He equally used this opportunity to thank once again, the members of his Excos, members of the branch and all the donors including but not limited to the Grand Patron, Aare Afe Babalola, His Excellency, Kayode Fayemi, PhD, the Executive governor of Ekiti State, Dayo Apata, Solicitor-General of the Federation, Wale fapounda, Attorney General, Ekiti State and many others too numerous to mention, for their support.

He also appealed to the senior members of the Bar to support the young lawyers of their respective branches by way of cash transfer, gifts, provision of food items, which list are by no means exhaustive in order to assuage the current challenge most might encounter in compliance to the *STAY-AT-HOME* directives.

Futhermore, he reinstated that it is high time we prioritized the welfare of Nigerian lawyers through the establishment and judicious use of an Emergency Intervention Fund.

OLAKANMI FALADE
CHAIRMAN NBA, ADO-EKITI, EKITI STATE