Copyright © 2019 By Philips Njeteneh
March 31st is the deadline for payment of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Bar Practice Fees (BPF). March 31st is just 3 days away. Payment is strictly made to Access Bank and no other bank.
A good number of Access Bank branches do not have the capacity to accept Bar Practice Fees and are therefore referring lawyers to other branches that have capacity.
Now branches that have capacity are bugged down with crowd of lawyers struggling to squeeze through the shutting window of Bar Practice Fees payment for 2019, slow or no network. This is leading into the remaining few days for cut-off date for payment of Bar Practice Fees.
The excuse that members can pay online has two flaws:
(1) Online payment can only be feasible for lawyers in the city and urban areas who have access to the Internet that can readily and easily make payment online.
(2) The network challenge, facing even the owners of the payment server (Access Bank), that those choosing the online mode of payment will also face.
The following questions are pertinent:
(1) Has the Nigerian Bar Association not grown above using one bank for payment of Bar Practice Fees?
(2) Does the choice of just one bank for payment of Bar Practice Fees not kill competition?
(3) Does the use of one bank as payment for Bar Practice Fees that are paid all over the country not hinder innovation and prompt delivery of service?
(4) Does the use of only one bank not limit the spread of and choice of where to pay, for members?
(5) Are we truly better off using one bank?
(6) Can and should a member of the Nigerian Bar Association be penalized for not meeting the March 31st deadline when his / her inability to do so was not entirely his / her fault?
Now there will be frenzy and anxiety by lawyers in the next 3 days as Access Bank is overwhelmed by network challenges and the influx of lawyers wanting to discharge their obligations to their association.
#JustMindingMyBusiness
By Philips Njeteneh
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