The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has pledged to build an office complex and donate a bus to lawyers for the newly created branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Bende, Abia State.
He made the commitment on Friday while receiving chairmen of various branches of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Abia State, led by the Aba branch chairman, Charles Onuchukwu.
Expressing gratitude for the creation of the Bende branch of the NBA, Kalu said he would not forget his roots.
He said: “Let it be a mark of history that the Deputy Speaker, a lawyer, went to the parliament and never forgot his immediate constituency. The Nigerian Bar honoured me by approving a Bar in my own town. They said a prophet is not honoured in his own home, but here you are giving me honour.
“The need to get you a place cannot be overemphasized. I want a place, a compound where we can work and relax. It is doable and I am going to do it. You have to find a place that has a sufficient plot of land, we fence it and put a building there. I may donate one of my properties. It’s a legacy thing for me.”
He also promised to provide a vehicle for the branch.
“We will also give you a bus. It has to be a clean bus. We will support you”, he said.
Kalu charged the legal profession to remain steadfast, describing lawyers as “instruments of justice” and the voice of both the common man and the highly placed in society.
The Deputy Speaker added that while Lady Justice is blind, “the eyes of justice should be wide open to see what is justice and what is fair.”
He described lawyers as the compass of society, noting that it is a privilege to serve in that role.
“I have huge respect for the Bar and gentlemen like you. The work towards justice will not be achieved without ministers in the temple of justice. Beyond money, the voice of the common man should be heard. You are there because there is need for justice and equity. You are the instrument of justice. You need to be sharpened”, he said.
Speaking on the relationship between the Bar and Parliament, Kalu said lawmakers are constantly bridging gaps in the body of laws used in courtrooms.
He urged lawyers to stay current with new legislations.
“What we do is to find those gaps. You have the rules of interpretation. The Bar should not go down. The Bar should be strengthened.
“We know we have competent ones, but how current are they with the current laws? This is the time the Bench and the Bar should be studying the Electoral Act. Every day we are in the parliament, it is not a jamboree. We build structures and systems that will be self-auditing. This is my passion. That’s why I went to the Parliament”, he said.
Kalu further called for recognition of lawyers in parliament for their role in lawmaking.
“We are giving birth to the laws you use. The SANs. There are those who are churning out the laws. They should be remembered. This is a challenge to you, the Deputy Speaker added.