The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Annual General Meeting

  • Olanipekun faults NBA constitution amendment

    a former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) president Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) has faulted a move to amend association’s constitution before the expiration of the Abubakar Mahmud-led executive.

    In a letter to Mahmoud, which was copied to all past NBA presidents and General Secretaries, Olanipekun said the move to table the constitution at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM) was contrary to an earlier agreement reached on the issue.

    According to him, it was agreed that the new executive would make further consultations on the constitution before its passage.

    The letter reads: “You would recall that at the last meeting of past Presidents and Secretaries of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) called at your instance at Fraser Suites, Abuja on Friday, July 20, 2018, you brought up, amongst others, your proposed amendments to the NBA constitution and apprised us of the far-reaching amendments being proposed by you on the eve of your departure, as the President of the foremost professional association in Nigeria.

    “After a very extensive discussion on your proposals, and considering the depth and implications of such amendments, the meeting advised that you should shelve and/or put the proposals on hold, and allow your successor-in-office do further consultations on them, both at the National Executive Committee (NEC) and general levels and platforms, in order to adequately weigh the pros and cons of the proposed amendments before passing same.

    “It was on this note that the meeting closed, and you did not disagree with the wise counsel.

    “Surprisingly, a notice or plan/intention to amend our constitution, as proposed and tabled by you at the meeting has now been sent out, and I must confess, I am in receipt of same, to the effect that the proposed amendments will be presented at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the NBA.

    “I am taken aback by this development, and I kept on wondering why you ever brought up the topic at our meeting of Friday, 20th July, 2018, if you knew you would not respect our opinion.

    “Mr. President, you have not been fair to us, to put it mildly. As a person, I protest this attitude and action of yours. Needless reminding you, Mr President that the same meeting resolved a lot of burning issues to your advantage and satisfaction.

    “As agreed at the said meeting Mr. President, may I again advise and counsel that you put on hold the proposed constitutional amend-ments.

    “No one possesses the monopoly of wisdom, and it is only courteous that you also respect the objections raised to some of your amendments at the meeting, despite the fact that some of us saw the proposals for the first time just at the meeting.

    “No leader, however brilliant, industrious, good-intentioned or pragmatic can ever resolve all the problems of his association, society or country in his life time or within his tenure.

    “You cannot be an exemption. Please let us learn from history; and be reminded that amendments to the NBA constitution should no longer be randomly done.

    “I dare say that the proposed amendments, in some material particulars, will turn out to be an ill-wind, which will bring or blow in no fresh breath.

    “You are advised not to force the amendments on our beloved association at the AGM, which, with much respect, might be constituted in such a way that the attendees would not readily understand or appreciate the unending conundrum we will be plunged into if the amendments sail through.

    “And in case you insist on going ahead to present the amendments at the AGM, can you be gracious enough, as a lawyer and leader, to circulate this letter of mine to the AGM?”

    In a chat with The Nation, Chief Olanipekun, who spoke from abroad, emphasised that it was not every NBA president or administration that must amend the NBA constitution.

    He noted that it was the amendments made by the Augustine Alegeh led administration at the twilight of his administration that is causing the crises in most NBA branches.

    “Let Mahmoud conduct election and hand over to a successor who will continue from where he stops. No leader solves all the problems of his people. Leadership is continuum,” Olanipekun said.

  • Tourism association holds annual meeting

    The Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) has confirmed that preparations are in top gear for its 21st Annual General Meeting (AGM) which has been scheduled to hold on Wednesday, July 11 at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

    Speaking on this development, the President of FTAN, Alhaji Rabo Saleh, disclosed that the AGM Planning Committee is working on having a very successful and colourful AGM that is focused on strengthening the federation and consolidating on its gains over the years as well as on Nigerian tourism development and promotion.

    The non – elective AGM, he said, will be attended by all the federating associations and stakeholders from across the country and government officials with the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, billed to deliver the keynote address.

    The theme for the one-day event, which is holding at Kapital Club and Apartments in Asokoro, is: Developing sustainable tourism through standardization and security, with papers to be presented by the Director General of the Directorate of State Security (DSS) and a director from the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON).

    Also expected are the director-generals and management teams of the various parastatals under the Ministry of Information and Culture and other MDAs, which include those of Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) and National Institute for Tourism and Hospitality (NIHOTOUR).

    One of the special features of the AGM is the presentation of the highest award and honour – Father of Nigeria Tourism — to Alabo Mike Amachree, who is the founder of Brooklyn Hotels and Port Harcourt Beach Resort among others. Cultural and musical entertainments will also feature alongside the business of day.

  • NMA, Anambra elects new leaders

    No fewer than 500 members of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) gathered in Awka, the Anambra State capital to elect their new leaders.

    The occasion was the association’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) where they elected Dr Emmanuel Monago, medical consultant, as chairman of the body. He will be in office for the next two years.

    Monago was the Vice Chairman in the immediate past executive led by Prof. Jude-Kennedy Emejulu. He will be assisted by other elected officers including Dr Jide Onyekwere as Vice Chairman and Dr Louis Nwajiaku as Secretary.

    Others were Dr Chukwudi Njelita, Publicity Secretary; Dr Patrick Ezeno, Financial Secretary; Dr Princeton Okam, Assistant Secretary, Dr Jude Ifeanyi, Treasurer; Dr Tony Okoye,outgone secretary who will serve as ex-officio alongside the outgone chairman.

    It was also a night of awards and excitement for experts who had contributed in different ways to the study and practice of medicine in the state.

    The traditional ruler of Obosi, in Idemili North Local Government Area of the state, Igwe Chidubem Iweka III, blessed the new leadership.

    He was represented by Chief Okey Mgbemena, a member of the Igwe-in-Council.

    The new NMA chairman, Monago, lauded his colleagues for expressing an overwhelming confidence in his capability to lead the association. He said he inherited a healthy association with room, though, for improvement.

    He said he would work to make the association stronger.

    “I must place it on record that I am exceedingly happy and grateful to God and NMA in Anambra for the trust and faith bestowed on me, by finding me worthy to bear the flag of this our prestigious association for the next two years, it is such an honour and responsibility that I will not take it lightly.”

    “I will endeavour to represent you with the utmost transparency, boldness, integrity, accountability, resilience and reliability. These sterling qualities will be reflected during these two years of my tenure.

    “We want to restructure the association and improve its standards, the NMA in Anambra has not been able to have a place it calls a secretariat, it is my belief that by the time I finish my two-year tenure the story will change.”

    He said the cold war between NMA and Joint Health workers, the major operators, was unnecessary.

    “We will continue to discuss with them because medicine is a team work, I believe that everybody will come to this understanding. My message to my members is that the nature of our job is sacrifice, it’s a humanitarian job and we have no option as far as we are in this profession. With this in mind, no matter how hard things are, we should endure and we should endeavour to dialogue.”

  • Health insurance for Lagosians

    Health insurance for Lagosians

    Lagos residents are to enjoy a health insurance scheme, Community Based Social Health Insurance Programme (CHIBSP).

    According to the Chairman, Healthcare Providers’ Association of Nigeria (HCPAN), Lagos branch, Dr Shehu T. Akintade, at a briefing on its forthcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM), the government has concluded plans to initiate CBSHIP in the state.

    He said: “Even though it is starting as a pilot programme at designated local government areas, if Lagos gets this programme running well, other states will buy into it and plan the health of their citizens, with consequent improvement of health indices of Nigeria as a whole.”

    He continued: “HCPAN’s aim, among others, is to ensure successful operation of health insurance in Nigeria so as to improve the health indices of the nation. And also, maintain high standard of health care delivery and provide quality care for the enrollees at affordable cost.

    “To ensure the right message is passed to residents on CBSHIP, the association has strategically chosen the theme: “Community based social health insurance – practical approach in Lagos State,” for the AGM holding at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi Araba holding on Thursday.

    He said: “Not everybody is a Federal civil servant that is enrolled on NHIS. States find it difficult to key into NHIS, and Lagos is yet to as well. About two states started, but pulled out. Since inception of the NHIS, about six per cent of the population has been covered and all of this is from the Federal Government’s employees while less than two per cent is under managed care.

    “If we all states participate in this scheme, we expect about 20 per cent coverage, even though we still have large numbers from organised private sector (OPS) that are likely to come up under managed care. But we need the legislature to prompt them. For the CBSHIP, any organisation with more than 10 staff will be mandated to key intoit.”