The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has denied as false and baseless report making round in social media platforms that the Association is paying N2m quarterly to a youth corper names Abayomi Ogunlana. The NBA clarified that the said Abayomi Ogunlana is a staff of PWC seconded to the NBA in line with the Service Contract Agreement with the audit firm.
The report which was published by an online platform Barristerng.com quoting an undisclosed source alleged that the present administration pays a particular youth corps member and further alleged that the external auditor engaged by the NBA is “a corp member”
Denying the above allegation, the National Publicity Secretary of NBA, Mr. Kunle Edun who also published the service contract between the NBA and PWC called the allegation “Another In The Series Of Smear Campaign Against The NBA”.
In his words;
The attention of the Nigerian Bar Association has just been drawn to a publication by an online blogger Barristerng.com with the heading “Shocking revelation: Investigation reveals how NBA pays N2m to a youth corper member quarterly.” The purported investigation mentioned the name of one Abayomi Ogunlana as being the youth corper paid the sum of N2m every quarter.
He further stated “Ordinarily, the NBA would not have allowed such deliberate misinformation to detract the administration from continuing its good work of entrenching probity and transparency in NBA’ finances. However, we are duty bound to further put the records record straight and out, so that members would appreciate the ill-motives of the smear campaigners.
Recall, that since the assumption of office of the current NBA Executive led by Paul Usoro,SAN, the NBA made it a mandatory policy to entrench transparency and integrity in the management of its finances and auditing processes. In pursuance of this, and with the kind approval of the NBA-NEC, the NBA immediately embarked on aggressive reforms of its finance and accounting structures, including the appointment of the renowned auditing firm of PwC to assist in this regard. The NBA has since succeeded in blocking leakages and improved in managing its expenditures.
As part of the engagement with PwC (which engagement was approved by the NBA-NEC) a staff was to be seconded to the NBA Secretariat. The staff seconded is the said Mr. Abayomi Ogunlana, who is a Chartered Accountant. He’s PwC’s contract staff who was also doing his NYSC, during this period. He’s supervised on a daily basis by two senior personnel of PwC, both Chartered Accountants. Based on the contract terms with PwC, NBA pays only N350,000.00 (Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) per Quarter for the three PwC Chartered Accountants who are managing our books. Can’t be any cheaper. It is a fact that similar services are charged in the upper seven figures. The two other Chartered Accountants are Oghenefego Adaja, Abayomi’s immediate supervisor and Gabriel Sosanya who oversees both ‘Fego & Abayomi.
We wish to further inform members that the NBA, under the present administration, does not pay any Youth Corper. Our payments are to PwC for their services. These are services that have brought sanity to our resources’ management; services that have sanitized NBA generally.
While we believe that we are accountable to our members and shall continue to open our books to all our members, we urge members not to be carried away by the deliberate falsehoods being serially published, all to give the NBA a bad name. Members are further urged to kindly reach the President of the NBA or any of the National officers (who are available 24/7) for any information.
When contacted on this issue, the NBA President Mr. Paul Usoro stated
“The staff PwC seconded, Abayomi Ogunlana, is a Chartered Accountant oo. He’s PwC’s contract staff who was also doing his NYSC, during this period. He’s supervised on a daily basis by 2 senior personnel of PwC, both Chartered Accountants. In effect, we pay N350k per Quarter for 3 PwC Chartered Accountants who are managing our books. Can’t be any cheaper. The 2 other Chartered Accountants are Oghenefego Adaja, Abayomi’s immediate supervisor and Gabriel Sosanya who oversees both ‘Fego & Abayomi. This is just another smear.”
Speaking further, he stated; Oh, I forgot to mention that we are not paying any Youth Corper. Our payments are to PwC for their services. Services that no one has complained. Services that have brought sanity to our resources’ management. Services that have sanitized NBA generally
All the source that spoke to Barristerng on this issue spoke on condition of anonymity making it rather impossible to contact any staff of the NBA for corroboration of the report by the online outfit.
PWC Service Contract is herewith attached
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