President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Paul Usoro (SAN), said the government must persist in creating an enabling business environment through effective institutions and implementation of policies that would improve the ease of doing business, drive investment opportunities and make Nigeria an investment friendly nation.

With the theme: ‘Growth, Investment and Employment: Beyond Rhetoric”, he added that the private sector must partner with government and embrace the forward-looking reforms of the government, while proffering constructive suggestions on how to improve the economic wellbeing and circumstances of the people.

In his speech, Sani Adio (SAN) Chairman NBA –SBL said the SBL has had a very productive and impactful year. The section has become a go-to resource for the executive and the legislative arms of government with respect to law reform concerning business and commercial law, and in particular towards easeof doing business in Nigeria and enriching the competitiveness of the Nigerian economy.

“The contributions made and the impact of the Section did not go unnoticed in many spheres resulting, amongst others, in the bestowing of two awards on the NBA-SBL by the presidency and specifically the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) for the work done in relation to the Companies and Allied Matters Repeal and Re-Enactment Bill (CAM Bill) 2019, the Omnibus Bill 2019, as well as consultations with the section on various other reforms concerning key sectors of the Nigerian economy including infrastructure, such as roadways, inland waterways, railways and international trade,” he said.

Similarly, Dr. Adeoye Adefulu, Chairman 13th NBA-SBL Conference Planning Committee said with a growing youth population, the importance of growth, investment and employability in Nigeria cannot be overemphasized.

“In the recent past, the country has suffered from underwhelming Gross Domestic Product growth. Indeed, it has been argued that even whilst experiencing accelerated GDP growth, the structure of growth was not inclusive and therefore had little impact on vast proportions of the populace. We have also witnessed a sharp decline in Foreign Direct Investment and the youth unemployment rate is now an alarming 36.5 percent,” he declared.

According to him, after 20 years of democracy, it is a good time for the Nigerian government at all levels to take stock and plan for the future of the Nigerian economy. “This conference is the contribution of the NBA SBL to that effort,” he quipped.

In a related development, the section has argued that imperative of capacity development of African General Counsels cannot be overemphasized.

Speaking at a conference for General Counsel (GC) & senior in-House lawyers in Lagos recently, the stakeholders noted that decisions of GC in organizations are very important; hence they need to network and be properly informed.

With the theme: Gaining perspective: Shaping the role of African GC, Dr. Adefulu,  said: “We organize business conference annually and  we have decided to add to the this year’s conference issues affecting General Counsel and in-house lawyers. We have a large community of in house counsels. Most of them work in different sectors and we felt it is good to have them so that they can network and learn from one another and also share their experiences.”

Cynthia Lareine Executive Director ILFA/ CEO, Lareine Gold Consulting noted that as the companies face challenging times, their roles as GCs also increases, hence the need to learn how they can thrive in their roles.

For the record, Dr. Abebe facilitated the coming of BP into Nigeria and helped to secure three deep offshore oil blocks with OPL 213, 217 and 218 for the BP-Statoil Alliance in 1991. Findings revealed that BP later vacated the block and the alliance with Statoil, but Statoil currently enjoys proceeds made from the oil blocks. Abebe, however, claims the agreement was for him to be paid 1.5 percent of the net profit made from the venture. Could the forgery case on Abebe be a ploy to deny him his entitlement?

Nine years after the case was filed and during which Abebe got judgment in his favour at both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal, there seems to be no end in sight. Having followed developments on the case right from the beginning, it is rather disappointing that it has taken a turn for the theatrical since getting to the Supreme Court. Abebe may be a member of the much criticized Nigerian elite, but no Nigerian, privileged or not, deserves the kind of harassment and humiliation he has suffered in the hands of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the alleged forgery he currently faces at the Special Offences Court.

Just recently, indications emerged that the evidence being dangled before the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, in the prosecution of the Inducon Chairman over the forgery allegation, could be a ruse after all. The EFCC had in July 2018 arraigned Abebe before the court on a four-count charge of forgery, fabricating evidence and attempt to pervert the course of justice levelled against him by Statoil Nigeria Limited.

According to the charge sheet, the defendant was accused to have on June 22, 2010 knowingly forged a letter dated November 30, 1995 belonging to BP Exploration Nigeria Limited to that of his company, Inducon Nigeria Limited. The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges. But at the recent sitting of the Special Offences Court, a defence witness and Deputy Director of the National Archives, Mrs. Roseline Ovesuor, informed the court that based on the provisions of sections 37 and 38 of the National Archives Act, it was an offence for companies registered in Nigeria to take their records outside the country. She made the revelation at the resumed hearing of the case before Justice Mojisola Dada.

Flowing from the argument, Mrs. Ovesuor, who said she has been working there for more than 30 years at the Department of National Archives of Nigeria, stated that by the provisions of sections 37 and 38 of the Act, it was an offence for a Nigerian company to take its records outside Nigeria.

The witness, who testified under examination-in-chief led by Counsel to Abebe, Uche Nwokedi (SAN), said the Department of National Archives is responsible for the management and preservation of documents of historical value in Nigeria for federal ministries, parastatals, agencies, commissions as well as private companies, institutions, multinational companies and individuals. She added that the National Archives is also mandated to assist ministries, agencies, and departments at the federal level, state level, private organisations, and business houses to establish their archives when necessary.

The defence witness testified that the National Archives Act is the law that regulates their activities and was promulgated in July 1992. She explained that in every organisation, public or private, there exist three levels of records: that is, current, semi-current and non-current. She noted that with an organisation, private or public, incorporated in Nigeria and is functioning in Nigeria, the law states such records must be housed by the organisation within the country where that organisation was established and is operating.