Senate approves six new law school campuses  across geo-political zones

Adekunle Adesuji, Abuja

Senate has given legal teeth to the establishment of seven additional Law School Campuses across the country making the total number of Nigerian Law Schools Campuses to 13.

The Passge of  Bill, into third reading titled: “A Bill for an Act to amend the Legal Education (Consolidation, etc) Act gave legal backing for the establishment of  campuses for the Nigerian Law School, was sponsored by Kogi West Senator Smart Adeyemi.

The passage of the Bill followed the adoption of the recommendation of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters that considered the Bill presented by Chairman of the Committee, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele.

According to the Bill, campuses of the Nigerian Law School and their locations include: Bwari Law School Campus, FCT, Abuja;

Kabba Law School Campus (North Central); Jos Law School, Plateau State (North Central); Yola Law School Campus, Adamawa (North East), Maiduguri Law School campus, Borno State (North East); Lagos Law School Campus (Southwest) and Ilawe Law School campus, Ekiti  State (Southwest);

Others are: Kano Law School Campus (Northwest); Argungun Law School Campus, Kebbi State (North West), Enugu Law School Campus, Enugu State (Southeast); Okija Law School Campus (South East); Yenegoa Law School Campus, Bayelsa State (Southsouth); Port-Harcourt Law School Campus, Rivers State (South South) and Orogun Law School campus, Delta State (South South).

According to the Bill, “There shall be established a minimum of two campuses in each of the six geopolitical zones, as specified in the schedule to the Bill.

“Subject to the provision of subsection 3, of this section, creation of additional campuses of the Nigerian Law School shall be approved by the National Assembly through legislation whenever the need arises.”

The Senate further resolved that the Bwari Law School should be for the Federal Capital City, while the proposed campuses in Kabba, Kogi State and Jos, Plateau state, would take care of the North Central zone.

The committee in its observation and findings, said: “That in view of the exponential increase in the number of law graduates from our universities and even foreign universities, coupled with the backlog that existed over the years, this legislative intervention measure is not only apt and timely but paramount;

“That without prejudice to the establishment of the Law School Campus in Port-Harcourt, the provision for additional campuses in the six-geopolitical zones of the federation in this Bill is appropriate as it has not tampered with the seven existing campuses p, established by administrative responsibilities of the Council of Legal Education;

“That the existing campuses are overstretched and the infrastructures are not enough to accommodate thousands of law students graduating from the universities;

“That apart from the statutory requirement for the creation of additional campuses, it should be strictly on the basis of need assessment and fulfillment of other indicators, such as, convenience, and accessibility by lecturers, staff and students, availability of office, lecture theater and hostel facilities, proximity to courts and law offices; and

“That the Federal Government should, as a matter of priority, provide adequate resources for the funding of the infrastructural needs of the Law School campuses, across the country.