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Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has reiterated his call on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to take deliberate steps to check the decline in legal practice standards in the country.
He spoke at the weekend while granting audience to a delegation of the NBA Women Forum, Bayelsa Chapter, led by its Chairperson, Barrister Dise Sheila Ogbise, at Government House in Yenagoa.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr Doubara Atasi, expressed concern that the reputation and public image of the legal profession was being eroded by the conduct of some lawyers.
He, therefore, urged all well meaning stakeholders to do everything within their reach to redeem and preserve the prestige and integrity of the profession.
The Deputy Governor, who is a lawyer, particularly charged all organs of the NBA to play a pivotal role in promoting professional standards for which the legal profession is known, warning that if urgent measures are not taken, the profession would be worse for it.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo tasked the NBA to come up with a framework that would make it mandatory for young lawyers freshly called to bar to be under the tutelage of more experienced practitioners for a specific number of years before they are given the silk.
The Bayelsa number-two-man who was elated at the crop of vibrant female lawyers in the state, thanked the NBA Women Forum for supporting the policies of government so far.
He assured them that government would look into their request for support to acquire an office accommodation, and sponsorship of their members to attend the 2022 Annual NBA Conference in Lagos.
Earlier in her remarks, the State Lead of the NBA Women Forum, Barrister Dise Sheila Ogbise, thanked the State Government for its good disposition towards female lawyers in the state.
She appealed to government to give more appointive positions to members of the Forum and support them to secure an office space to enable the Forum do more in promoting the laudable policies and programmes of the prosperity administration.
The NBA Women Forum Yenagoa branch facilitator, Barrister Douye Ebiokpo-Kemebigha, and her Sagbama counterpart, Barrister Ebiere Ekpese, were part of the delegation.
The hiighlights of the visit included the presentation of an award of excellence on the Deputy Governor by the State Lead of the NBA Women Forum, Barrister Dise Sheila Ogbise.
