As Ghana graduates 128, Nigeria Law School calls 1,458 to the bar

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Ghana keeps recording mass failure each year in its law school, sparking a huge protest this year from students, resulting in nine arrests and two injuries.

Over 90 per cent of students who sat for this year’s Ghana School of Law entrance examination failed to make the cut for admission. Results showed that of the 1,820 candidates who sat for the entrance exams, only 128, representing 7 per cent passed.

This prompted the Ghanaian president Nana Akufo-Addo to write to the chief justice Sophia Akuffo to address the development.

However, the situation is different in neighbouring Nigeria.

The Nigerian Law School, on Tuesday, called to the Nigerian Bar a total of 4,458 candidates who were successful at the August 2019 Bar final examinations, according to report.

5,689 students sat for the examinations out of whom 4,455 came out successful, while three others were from the previous examination, a vast difference from the situation in Ghana.

The Director-General of the school, Prof. Isa Ciroma, said 147 candidates made first class, which is 2.58 per cent of the total figure, 741second class upper division, making 13.03 per cent, while 2,247 made second class lower division, with 39.50 per cent.

He added that the candidates, who scored pass mark, were 1,321, making 23.22 per cent.

The director-general, who rated the performance as outstanding, said that it justified the huge investment and sacrifice made by all and sundry.

He said that the school would stop at nothing to sustain and surpass the record attained, with strong determination, as long as the students were willing to excel.

Ciroma explained that the candidates, who had successfully completed the vocational training for the law profession as prescribed by the Legal Education Act, exhibited decorum in the process.

“The screening committee of the distinguished Body of Benchers has perused the records of each aspirant and has found them worthy to be presented for the call to the Nigerian bar.

“I attest that they are fit and proper persons for call and admission to the Nigerian Bar,” the director-general said.
In his remarks, Justice Idris Muhammad, Chairman, Body of Benchers and Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), congratulated the candidates, while also commending the school on the process.

He urged them to exhibit a high level of professional ethics and decorum, while also preserving the honour and dignity of the profession.

“Your priority is to commit yourselves to the pursuit of justice. Where you see justice not being achieved, do all you can within the ambit of the law to ensure that justice is served.

“Needless to say, if the justice system fails, the confidence of the people in it declines.

“I urge you all to make a difference by leaving your footprints on the sands of time; you have all been equipped with necessary skills, training and the ability to make impact in the society,” he said.

The chief justice further implored them to remain civil and ethical with clients, adding that lawyers must show no disrespect to anyone on the basis of religion, tribe, gender or disability, in the discharge of their duties. The three-day ceremony was organised by the Body of Benchers, the Council of Legal Education and the Nigerian Law School.

Source: Daily Mail GH