The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) says it will disburse the sum of N92,884,505.00 to 10,125 young lawyers as COVID-19 relief.
This was announced by the President of the NBA, Paul Usoro in a statement released on Thursday. Usoro said that young lawyers (with 1-4 years post-call experience) who paid their association dues up to the March 21st deadline would be eligible for the relief.
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The NBA President, Paul Usoro, SAN has directed the immediate disbursement of the Covid-19 relief fund to 10, 126 eligible young lawyers.
The NBA President expresses the gratitude of the Bar to the Donors. The List of donors is accessible on the NBA Website.
Details here ?? pic.twitter.com/HqTbFAcKjm
— Habeeb Lawal,Esq (@lawalhab) August 6, 2020
The report said the NBA’s Welfare Committee raised the sum of N92,884,505.00, which would mean a total disbursement of N9,172.57 per lawyer. The NBA says it would add an extra N8,375,495.00 to the fund so that each beneficiary could get about N10,000 each.
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The NBA will also take full responsibility for bank charges related to the transactions at N525,000.00.
The Association says other younger lawyers with post-call experience of 5-7 years could not be under the relief programme as the association is constrained by limited funds available for distribution.
“We felt that younger lawyers should perhaps constitute the primary focus for the distribution of the relief funds,” Paul Usoro said.
The name of the eligible candidates will be published on the association’s website and eligible beneficiaries are required to fill and submit validation forms.
Mr. Usoro said the donors came from mostly senior lawyers. “Their names and their donations which are all written in gold are published with the release,” he added.