Thursday, January 14, 2010

CONFERENCE PLANNING COMMITTEE POST CONFERENCE REPORT ON THE 2009 NBA ANNUAL GENERAL CONFERENCE HELD AUGUST 16th – 21st 2009 IN LAGOS. PRESENTED TO NBA

The 2009 Annual General Conference has come and gone with reminiscences. Over the six days of 16th to 21st August 2009, the city of Lagos, particularly the Oceanview Expo Center, Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, hosted about 8000 registered participants from the 88 Branches of the NBA, International guests, colleagues from the diaspora, and invited guests.

Remarks from colleagues, press comments and public opinion proved that the 2009 AGC was indeed a huge success and we owe the success of this conference to the Almighty God, the NBA President, National Officers and members of the National Executive Committee, the Lagos State Government, our Donors, CPC, LOC and all our colleagues who contributed in every way to the success of this conference. The opening ceremony and the showcase session proved to be the highlight of the conference with attendance and presentations by Governors of Lagos, Edo, and Kano states. Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Attorney General of the Federation and other Federal Executive Council Ministers, Judges, IBA President, and-many distinguished members of the legal profession. The keynote address was delivered by His Excellency, Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN, Governor of Lagos State on the theme, "Under Developed Nations, Failed Economies and the Future of the Legal Profession". The Conference Planning Committee (CPC) appreciates the overwhelming support of the LASG to the NBA in the hosting of this conference in Lagos state and the Governor's acceptance to deliver the keynote address.

Registration
Pursuant to the electronic capture of registration data pioneered by the CPC this year, we were able to capture with a near degree of accuracy the number of participants that registered for this conference. The registration records show that a total of 7,297 participants had their data captured electronically and now on NBA database as having registered for this conference. Of this figure however only 6,482 submitted properly completed forms while the rest had incomplete data with names, year of call, branch, etc missing: This figure consists of:
1 - 5years post call - 2,784
6 – l0years post call -1,460
It - 14years post call - 465
15-20yearspostcall - 806
Above 20years - 721
SANs, AGs & Benchers – 90


Judges - 91
Magistrates - 39
Governors/Legislators/political Appointees - 26

However, other indices confirm that actual number of participants hover around the 8000 mark. This is due to several participants who did not submit their forms, but only receipts of payment onsite, or those who held on to their forms as proof of registration to collect conference materials on the 2nd and 3rd days of the conference. Other uncaptured data are for dignitaries and their aides who attended without registration, 300 Legal personnel of the LASG for whom registration fees was waived by CPC in recognition of the support of LASG. In total, it is our estimation that apart from the 7,297 participants whose details were electronically captured, the total number of participants at the conference is in the region of about 8000. This is beside others who attended as exhibitors, service providers, ushers, etc.

Going forward, NEC may need to revisit the means of funding the AGC (particularly the conference registration, fees) so as to make registration fees the primary source of funding the AGC as our participant numbers continue to increase.

Accommodation
All registered participants who pre-booked hotel accommodation through the registration agency had their bookings confirmed at those hotels. Accommodation payments made to the NBA account b-y-' participants were directly remitted to the hotels.

We however noted queries that some hoteliers increased their rates contrary to previously agreed rates as we approached the conference date, while in one instance our reservations were totally cancelled for fresh bookings also by other NBA members at higher rates. While we tried to ensure the concerned hotels reverted to pre-agreed rates and succeeded with some, others justified their position with the fact that the deadline for accommodation payments was 31st July and they had to release unbooked rooms for other users since many NBA members failed/refused to pay ahead, as expected with pre-booked hotel reservations.

While we propose a review of hotel accommodation strategy, we equally encourage our members to ensure reservations are made early and payment is made at the time of their reservations to prevent such variations.

The Nigerian Law School hostel was made available to us at a fee and same was offered to Young Lawyers on first come, first served basis at N3500 per night, at not more than two guests per room. The hostel also provided accommodation for rapporteurs, and ushers.

Programme
The conference offered participants a fully robust programme covering public interest issues. Legal practice matters. Business law interests and other specialized sessions provided by the various NBA Sections and Fora. This year's innovation of a showcase session on Electoral reforms was widely acclaimed as a huge success and we look forward to similar initiatives in future.

Venue
The Oceanview Expo Center, Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos proved to be a well structured and purpose built venue to accommodate the large number of participants at the Lagos 2009 conference. The facility which included 3 large purpose built Marquees to sit a total of 8000 people, overlooking the lagoon, viewing screens, food court, exhibition areas, and evening entertainment area, adequately provided for all conference requirements and conveniences.

We appreciate the cooperation received from the LASG and the management of Eko Hotels and Suites towards preparing this facility for our use.

Transportation and Logistics
The LASG released 50 BRT buses to convey conference delegates between the designated hotels and conference venues throughout the days of the conference. The CPC/LOC Transport/Logistics Sub-Committees coordinated this by designating Bus routes for the movement of the buses. The BRT bus provision contributed in no small way to the logistics of transporting participants to the conference venues. In addition, the efforts of LASTMA, FRSC, Nigerian Police, Nigerian Civil Defence are commendable in ensuring the smooth flow of traffic and overall security during the conference. It was a general opinion that in spite of the huge numbers that converged at the Eko Hotels venue, traffic was very well managed.

Conference Bags
We had ordered 8000 branded conference bags for the 2009 conference which arrived few weeks to the conference. Delay experienced with the clearing of the cargo occasioned a situation in which the bags were only delivered to the NBA secretariat by the clearing agency on Tuesday night, August 18th, during the conference. To prevent a situation where participants will be deprived of conference bags at the point of registration which commenced since Sunday 16th August, the NBA President approved an urgent request for more bags to be sourced locally (though unbranded) and an additional 9000 bags were purchased which eventually became the bags used for the 2009 conference. Presently NBA has in its custody a total of 8000+ bags now warehoused for use for the 2010 Conference dispensing with the need to order fresh bags for the next conference.

Recognizing the sponsorship of LASG of this year's bags and the branding of same, the NBA President has sought and already obtained the approval of the sponsor (LASG) to re-brand the date and re-designate the bags for the AGC 2010.

Social Events
As previously approved by NEC, ticketed Section, Forum and Committee Dinners or Lunches were organized for members, with a good turnout at each event. We observed the welcome party was not well attended as many participants left the venue early due to transportation concerns being the first day of the conference, however having been satisfied with the transport logistics in place, future evening social events witnessed larger turn out, with the climax being the Gala night which was to the credit of the LOC, very well arranged and most eventful.

Class/Set meetings, private receptions, etc also held during the conference and it is proposed for future conferences that perhaps an afternoon be kept free of conference events for such private events/class meetings/home and other hospitality events.

The NBA Friendship Center was also well managed to provide Lunch at subsidized rates to participants to supplement the subsidized lunch at the Food court located at the conference venue. CPC provided free lunch on Monday the 17th of August partly sponsored by Chief Goodie Ibru. The Friendship Center set up by the LOC equally offered evening social entertainment to participants with Lagos, Ikeja and Ikorodu branches hosting a night of entertainment each.

Finance/Budget
Our expenditure budget estimate presented to NEC for the 2009 AGC was N207,600, 000.00 only. Apart from "conference registration fees, funds were received from various individual, corporate and institutional Sponsors, and Government agencies. In total a sum of N250,619,500.00 was received as conference income, the breakdown of which is as follows:
- Registration/accommodation/dinner fees = N85,998,500.00
- Sponsorship/donor funds = N157,871,000.00
- Exhibition registration = N6,750,000.00
Total expenditure stood at N176,285,774.00.

We are glad to report that as at today no amount is owed on the conference as all service providers, and facility owners have been fully paid, leaving a credit balance of N74,333,726.00 in the Conference account to kick start AGC 2010 Conference planning. Please see attached summary.
The CPC has also submitted its final accounts to the Secretariat and same forwarded to the Auditors for final review. We use this opportunity to express our appreciation to members of the Bar for the donations received and thank you all for your kind support.

CPC/LOC Relations
To avoid the usual conflicts of roles between CPC and LOC particularly with respect to fund raising, guidelines on the relationship, functions and roles of both bodies were set out in which both bodies agreed terms for the operation of LOC fund raising. It was resolved with the LOC that fund raising shall be jointly prosecuted with the CPC. Therefore, in addition to the fund raising initiatives by the CPC, the LOC was requested to submit to CPC the names of their prospective donors, including lawyers and law firms from their respective branches. Letters of request for donations and sponsorship were jointly signed by The NBA President, CPC Chairperson and LOC Chairman and forwarded to all sponsors and donors. This was to avoid the conflicts and embarrassments caused the NBA in the past when different letters from CPC and LOC may be sent to the same prospective sponsor.

It was further resolved with the LOC that the LOC branches shall upon submission of their final accounts, and subject to the approval of NEC, be entitled to 30% of funds raised, after deductions of all conference costs as branch development commission. The CPC proposed this to encourage compliance with the joint fund raising effort, depart from previous conflicting experiences, ensure mutual accountability, encourage branches to bid to host future AGCs, and promote branch development generally.

Recommendations
It was apparent from our operations that there was a dearth of capacity in the NBA Secretariat. Necessary staff and skills were insufficient in required areas of conference planning, logistics training, and support operation services required in organizing Conferences of this size annually. In executing many of the tasks, we realized that many members of staff had limited experience in various important aspects of the organization of our AGC in spite of the annual nature of our conference planning. This lack of capacity within the secretariat accounted for the NBA's usual reliance on external service providers for services which in our opinion the secretariat staff could have effectively handled. It was therefore part of our obligation to use the AGC 2009 to develop capacity within the secretariat to an appreciable level, and hereby make the following recommendations, subject to the approval of NEC.

I. The 3 secretariat staff trained by CPC and assigned to handle the organization of the AGC 2009 exhibitions, which was a huge success, be constituted into an exhibition unit within the NBA secretariat. This in our view dispenses with the use of service providers for exhibitions.

II. There is a need to urgently hire a conference/event manager to head a conference unit within the secretariat and manned by suitably qualified personnel and/or other existing NBA staff previously involved in the AGC planning in-house. This will assist successive CPCs in logistics arrangement, develop in-house capacity, initiate early preparation plans for conferences, etc. We observe that some past AGC reports made similar recommendations which we hope will be accepted by NEC and implemented.

III. After several years of hosting our AGCs, it appears long overdue that. NBA has as part of its policy documents, a conference planning manual to serve as a guide to future CPCs, and the proposed NBA Conference unit. It is unhelpful for continuity of planning an annual conference, for successive CPCs to keep re-inventing the wheel annually.

IV. Planning ahead is critical to confirm conference speakers, venues etc. A situation where AGC planning starts six months to date is not helpful to proper planning, hence such plans should commence immediately upon conclusion of the last conference. It is therefore proposed that the Pre-Conference NEC meeting perhaps considers the choice of the venue of the next conference before the conclusion of any AGC and same announced at the conference AGM.

V. NEC may need to revisit the means of funding the AGC (particularly the conference registration fees) so as to make registration fees the primary source of funding the AGC. Our participant numbers continue to increase, while donor funds are not as available as before due to the economic challenges. It is better to plan based on participant funds with donor funds being a secondary source of funding.

VI. We encourage our members to always ensure hotel reservations are made early and payment is "made at the time of their reservations to prevent experienced price variations and cancellations by hotel managers.

CONCLUSION
While we appreciate the immense contributions of all members of the Bar to the success of the 2009 AGC, we recognize there were some challenges and possible omissions experienced in executing our plans for the conference, which arc associated with a conference of this size, and apologize for any inconvenience occasioned by same. We however believe that with the structure being put in place by the CPC this year, future NBA Annual General Conferences should be even better.

The NBA secretariat already sent out invitation for bids to all branches inviting bids to host the 2010 AGC. We await receipt of expression of interest from interested branches latest by the 20th of December 2009.

Thank you.

MRS OLUFUNKE ADEKOYA SAN
Chairperson, Conference Planning Committee

OLUSEUN ABIMBOLA
Secretary, Conference Planning Committee