Chairman, NBA Jos branch, Dafer Ledak said the NEC meeting would begin with a visit to the Gbon Gwom Jos, followed by a cocktail in the evening to be hosted by Chief Judge of Plateau State The NEC will open on Thursday at 9am. On security arrangements, Ledak said: “We visited the Commissioner of Police and he assured us of maximum security to protect everybody in the State during and after the meeting. The Anti-bomb squad, the Nigerian Police Force, the Civil Defence Corps, Operation Rainbow, the Joint Task Force ( JTF) and others will be there to maintain maximum security.” Co-chair of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) Tob Kekemeke said the Jos Branch and state governemnt are earger to host lawyers. SETTING AGENDA 102 SERIES 2 ABUSE OF NBA CAR STICKERS The National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association comes up in Jos next week. We may as well begin to agitate our minds on issues that ought to be addressed at the policy shaping arm of the profession. In the coming days I urge our colleagues to splash these issues on our various platforms so it could get to the attention of our representatives. Last week I kicked it off with a discuss on the remittance of 10% (now 20%) share of members practice fees payments to their branches. Today the focus will be to one of our privileges as members of the learned profession. In the past any vehicle having the NBA sticker on it is accorded the maximum respect with certain privileges on the road by virtually all traffic officials. But today? The reverse is the case. Why? Because all sorts of cars,lorries, tippers, trucks and even tricycles adorn their movable articles with NBA sticker thereby making the sticker lose its value and along with it its respect. In 2011/2012 a branch in the east took the bull by the horn by physically going on the road with law enforcement agencies to remove unauthorized usage of the NBA car stickers. That effort was like a drop in the ocean and it died a natural death. It is my proposal that we should reclaim our reputation, respect and privileges on the road like any other place. HOW DO WE ACHIEVE THIS? 1. Redesign the NBA car stickers 2. Regulate its issuance 3. Officially withdraw the current NBA stickers in circulation 4. Criminalize unauthorized usage of the new NBA car stickers REDESIGN The NBA car sticker should be redesign in shape, colour and content. The new sticker should be personalized to a member like the stamp and have such details as the member’s enrollment number and branch but not the member’s name. The sticker can take another shape other than its present shape, it could take a circle shape like the NBA stamp. The NBA colour could be on another background colour instead of its present yellow. REGULATE ITS ISSUANCE The issuance of the sticker should be regulated the same way the stamp is being regulated.Members should apply through their branch and the process of verification or anyone already receiving NBA stamps is qualified to apply for NBA stickers.It could be obtained in pairs of two and the cost should not be beyond the reach of any lawyer.Each lawyer that obtains the sticker should attached to his vehicle particulars evidence of his being the one with the enrollment number like practice licence etc. OFFICIALLY WITHDRAW THE CURRENT NBA STICKER. The NBA could call a press conference with law enforcement officials and traffic agencies simultaneously at the national level and at all branch levels the same day withdraw the present sticker and declaring anyone still using it as impersonating the members of the profession. The public could be given a timeframe within which to remove the stickers from their cars and anyone caught with the stickers after expiration should be prosecuted. This to me should not be difficult as most law enforcement agencies are headed by lawyers. A good example is the Inspector General of the Police who incidentally is my call mate and chairman of our class. CRIMINALIZE USAGE NBA should work closely with the law enforcement agencies both at national and various branch levels to ensure any unauthorized usage of the new sticker as well as usage of the old sticker should be prosecuted. BENEFITS OF THIS PROJECT It is my firm believe that if these step are taken (could be modified no doubt), the bar will regain its glory, respect and privileges on the road just like anywhere else. This is my personal opinion HAPPY DELIBERATION AT NEC]]>