Redeem Legal Practice Image, Bayelsa Govt Tasks NBA

Mohammed O. Taoheed

The Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has again challenged the Nigerian Bar Association to take deliberate steps to check what he termed as the decline in legal practice standards in the country.

He expressed concern that the reputation and public image of the legal profession were being eroded by the conduct of some lawyers.

A statement issued on Sunday by the deputy governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr Doubara Atasi, said that he spoke at the weekend while granting audience to a delegation of the NBA Women Forum, Bayelsa Chapter.

He, therefore, urged all well-meaning stakeholders to do everything within their reach to redeem and preserve the prestige and integrity of the profession.

Ewhrudjakpo, who is a lawyer, particularly charged all organs of the NBA to play a pivotal role in promoting professional standards for which the legal profession was known, warning that if urgent measures were not taken, the profession would be worse for it.

He called on the NBA to come up with a framework that would make it mandatory for young lawyers freshly called to bar to be under the tutelage of more experienced practitioners for a specific number of years before they are given the silk.

Ewhrudjakpo, who was elated at the crop of vibrant female lawyers in the state, thanked the NBA women’s forum for supporting the policies of government so far.

He assured them that government would look into their request for support to acquire office accommodation, and sponsorship of their members to attend the 2022 Annual NBA Conference in Lagos.

Earlier in her remarks, the State Lead of the NBA Women Forum, Dise Ogbise, had thanked the state government for its good disposition towards female lawyers in the state.

She appealed to the government to give more appointive positions to members of the forum and support them to secure an office space to enable the forum do more in promoting the laudable policies and programmes of the prosperity administration.