JUSUN Strike: Young lawyers are suffering, provide palliatives – Abuja lawyer tells NBA

• As Rajasthan High Court queries State Bar Council over Covid-19 Welfare for advocates

As the on-going strike of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN clocks a month, an Abuja based legal practitioner, Obi Chimezie Esq. has called on the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA to provide palliatives for junior lawyers.

This is even as a Rajasthan High Court in Northern India has asked the Bar Council of Rajasthan about the steps being taken for the welfare of advocates who are affected by COVID-19.

Hon. Justice Ashok Kumar Gaur posed this query while issuing notice on a petition seeking utilization of the advocates’ welfare fund for the relief of advocates affected by the pandemic. Indian lawyers like other citizens have been severely impacted by the virus. Only last Thursday, the Chief Justice of India, NV Ramana announced that Covid-19 has taken a toll on Indian judiciary, judges and court staff. Presently, 34 judicial officers and three High Court judges have passed away

The question now is- what is the NBA doing for Nigerian lawyers, particularly juniors that have consistently paid practicing fees and branch dues? Sequel to the on-going strike, there are startling revelations that law firms are laying off their workers. This is bearing in mind that the 2020 Covid-19 lock down equally took its toll on lawyers and they like other Nigerians are still struggling to have a fresh lease of life.

In India, the court issued notice to the Bar Council of Rajasthan, Rajasthan High Court Bar Association, the Bar Association Jaipur, and State Health Department. They are to appear on the next adjourned date which is May 20.

The writ petition was filed by Advocates Jagmeet Singh and Rupendra Suroliya, through Advocates Kapil Bardhar and Rajesh Kumawat, seeking appropriate
appropriate and judicious use of the Advocates Welfare Fund in view of the prevailing pandemic.

The petitioners pointed out that the State Bar Council has accumulated funds from its members under the head Advocates Welfare Fund.  They insist that the fund is a statutory fund and the amounts lying in it can be utilized for the welfare of advocates who are affected by COVID-19.

Here are their recommendations:

1. Setting up dedicated funds towards the establishment of COVID-19 Helpline for the Advocates.

• A Committee/Nodal officer at each District/City/Bar Association be appointed providing for Functioning of the Covid Helpline for Advocates.

• To provide for Food/Ration for the Advocates/Members and their family members suffering from COVID-19 for the Quarantine period.

• To provide for Basic Medicine Supply to its members and their family members suffering from COVID-19 for the Quarantine period.

• Beds/ Ventilators /ICU /Rooms /Oxygen/ Remdesivir Injection etc., should be supplied and made available to COVID-19 positive members admitted in hospitals in hospitals in collaboration with either the State Government or the Private Hospitals in the State of Rajasthan at Nominal charges for its members for the Quarantine/Treatment period.

• To provide for Ambulance Services for the Patients or in case of unfortunate event, provide for hearse at Nominal cost to the advocates.

• Make arrangement of Facility for Testing for Coronavirus at dedicated Centre for its Members.

• Allocation of funds for the Group life Insurance/Medical Insurance/Chiranjivi Yojna or any other Scheme of the State Government/Private Entities for members/Advocates.

• Allocation of welfare Funds for its Members who are in financial need during the Covid-19 period on monthly/quarterly or any other period.

1. Provide financial assistance for the treatment taken for the COVID-19 by the advocates.

1. Provide Loan facilities at minimum interest rate in collaboration with the nationalised banks.

1. To formulate schemes and plans for the Assistance to the advocates for Covid-19 treatment in advance for the upcoming third/fourth wave of COVID-19.
2. To invite suggestions/recommendations/Feedback from the advocates for proper and warranted use of Advocates welfare fund in view of COVID-19 pandemic.

1. To ensure the Compliance of the action taken by the Committee or the Nodal officer as appointed.

In Nigeria, the Judiciary Staff Union embarked on the industrial action since April 6, 2021 demanding financial autonomy for the nation’s judiciary in compliance with the Constitution and a judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja which affirmed the relevant constitutional provisions in a January 2014 judgment.

The action has vicariously taken a toll on many lawyers leading to an Abuja based legal practitioner, Obi Chimezie Esq., asking the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA to provide palliatives for junior lawyers.

Obi Chimezie who expressed concern that “people are languishing in jails and Police stations, yet everywhere is calm as if nothing is seriously wrong”, maintained that only intense pressure on state governors will save the day.

Read the full statement:

With the impact of this JUSUN strike on lawyers generally and the junior lawyers especially, the NBA should consider palliative measures to cushion the negative impact of the strike on these juniors.

Many of them are out of funds and are hardly surviving; with no visible hope in sight. The Governors are unshaken. The press and the people are not mounting enough pressure which JUSUN expected. The NBA ordered a Monday protest which was obeyed and complied with only once and rested.

People are languishing in jails and Police stations, yet everywhere is calm as if nothing is seriously wrong. Since my little 16 years in the profession, I’ve not seen anything like this. We should rise up and do something. The people are looking up to us to do something about the situation and we cannot disappoint them. To disappoint the people’s expectation is to disappoint ourselves. We can no longer pretend that the situation will fix itself. We can mount the pressure, visibly. NBA President’s call should be enforced and lawyers should come out en masse to join this pressure. JUSUN have taken the bold step, let’s mount the pressure and get the press to do their part, otherwise, this Government of Governors may just ignore the whole thing and look away.

Meanwhile, the small CAC space where some of these juniors make some fast bucks have become an almost no-go-area as the whole processes of operations are not working. From CAC network failures to Remita payment issues to incompetent staff especially at the ICT dept where many of the staff do not even know how to solve the simplest of problems.

One would have thought that adequate training will be given to those staff before forcing the entire operations to online services.

From experience, it is clear that full information of over 70% of registered companies in Nigeria are yet to be updated in the post-incorporation portal, yet the Commission have announced that the public should go to the post-incorporation portal to do everything with the exception of just a negligible few processes.

This is to say the least, very appalling as they are killing businesses and forcing companies to lose businesses and fund.

The NBA-CAC Committee should please go beyond asking us to fill Forms for complaints. Let them demand physical desks at the Commission where people can come and lay their complaints and get solutions, as many complaints sent to the designated emails receive nonreponse beyond acknowledgement of receipt.

Many lawyers are suffering oo…

The process of conducting Legal Search at the Commission seem to be the worst. Upon successful application, the system provides you with less than 30% of the company information, then the Commission expects you to write to them complaining of missing information, then they’ll designate a staff to update the company information and after a week or more, you will need to check back for the updated information. Imagine the impact of the delay on businesses and external solicitors who are engaged by financial institutions to render such services.

Please let’s not wait until lawyers carry gun and get to the news before we know that lawyer is suffering.

#LetsSaveTheLawyer

Obi Chimezie Esq.

Additional reports from livelaw.in