A Port Harcourt-based lawyer, Chukwuma Chinwo, has urged the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to return N300 million received from the Rivers State Government if the funds were not appropriated.
Chinwo emphasized that the NBA should be cautious about the sources of its funding, particularly from
government entities, and return the money as a demonstration of its honor and integrity.
Chinwo said, “I’m one person that is urging NBA to be very careful who it collects money from, and not from Government.
“It was not part of government budget. And in this case, if the Rivers State Government made a commitment to NBA, and gave it N300 million, it’s to host the conference.
“It is not what other states will be giving N20 million. So, if the man is not hosting anymore, you return the money and say sorry, we were to come here for this conference. We are not coming again because of xyz. And that is the part of honour.
“NBA is supposed to be an organization of honorable men and women. And so, if you collected money for something and you are not using it, you return it. That is integrity all over the world.
“So, I agree with the Sole Administrator that they would return the money.”
The NBA had received the N300 million from the Rivers State Government, purportedly as a donation, to host its annual conference in the state, but later relocated the event to Enugu State.
The Rivers State Sole Administrator, Ibok-Ete Ibas, has threatened to initiate legal proceedings to recover the funds if they are not returned.