The Deputy Ranking Member on the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, Francis Xavier Sosu, has disclosed that campuses available to law students in the country is inadequate.
According to him, as a result of the gradual growth of society, there is a need to train more people who are willing, able and ready to study law. This, Mr Sosu believes, will prepare enough persons to infiltrate the market and take up the growing number of legal cases.
Mr Sosu explained that currently, the lawyer to client ratio is about “1 to over 7000”. As such, we must “open up” and grow since the rate of “opening up” is too slow, he insisted.
“The campuses available (to study law) is still inadequate. What I am blaming on the GLC (General Legal Council) is the lack of leadership that will open up law schools so that we can create more access to law schools”.
Mr Francis Xavier Sosu
Prior to the current arrangement, students could only study at the University of Ghana for a law degree (LLB). However, following some revisions, KNUST and GIMPA have been roped in to offer students the opportunity to get a law degree.
Students who study in these approved institutions must write the entrance exam before they are enrolled at the Ghana School of Law at Makola for the professional course.
Commenting on the system, Mr Sosu indicated that these three institutions are not enough to accommodate the growing number of persons who desire to pursue a career in law.
Dealing with inadequate infrastructure for law students
The Madina legislator made these comments following the National Association of Law Students (NALS) protest over the Ghana School of Law entrance exams failures and resolve to disallow the alleged 499 students who passed
The aggrieved candidates are accusing the General Legal Council (GLC) of being responsible for their inability to gain admission following a new quota system.
The pass mark for the entrance exams was initially 50%. But for this year’s exams, the rule has changed as candidates have to score at least 50% in both sections.
The group converged at the Black Star Square in Accra on Wednesday, October 20, 2021, hoisting placards with inscriptions expressing their displeasure.
They marched to the Parliament House, where they presented a petition to the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, who received it on behalf of the Speaker.
Touching on their protest, Mr Sosu revealed that the unfair leadership at the GLC is the problem which is creating a system where only a few select can have the opportunity to study law while the majority are excluded.
“We need more drastic action as far as this matter is concerned. I think that beyond sympathising with these students, the point is that the 499 students who went on demonstration… have qualified to be in law school and they must be admitted”.
Mr Francis Xavier Sosu
In a bid to find a solution to the challenge posed, Mr Sosu maintained that we need to “run shifts” to get these students a place if government must. He suggested that government must do all that and put in all the “measures” to make sure that the students can get admitted.
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