Wike, Malami Flag Off Nigerian Law School’s PH Campus

The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike says his administration is poised to build, furnish and deliver the best campus of the Nigerian Law School in Port Harcourt.
The governor gave the assurance at the ceremony marking the official flag-off of civil engineering works for the construction of the law campus at Rumueme Town in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, last Saturday.
Wike noted how Rivers people have hailed his idea and eventful decision to request for a campus of the Nigerian Law School to be located in Port Harcourt.
According to the governor, if the Rivers Government had not initiated the flag-off and construction of two hostels and an auditorium at the Yenagoa Campus of the Nigerian Law School in Bayelsa State, it would have missed the opportunity to request for a Port Harcourt Campus.
With the request granted and commencement of construction work at the new law school site, Wike said that Rivers people would be the greatest beneficiaries in terms of employment opportunities the campus would offer and the attendant economic activities within the precinct of the institution.
“People are saying what a wonderful project; what a wonderful decision that we took. I’m sure every Rivers man and woman, even persons who have clear heart, who are not going to play politics, will know that the decision of citing law school campus in Port Harcourt is very key.
“Not only will it help to reduce the number of those who ordinarily will not have the opportunity of going to law school at the time they finish their law programme at the university, it will improve the economy of the state. It will also create employment for our people.”
Wike noted the importance of the Yenagoa Campus of the Nigerian Law School to the South-South region, but observed that even together with the other existing five campuses; there was still the lack of carrying capacity for law students due such training.
The governor said the Port Harcourt campus would be part of the contribution of the state government to legal education in the country.
He particularly acknowledged the apolitical consideration given to his request by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, despite his being a major critic of the APC-led Federal Government.
The governor also handed over the Certificate of Occupancy (CoO) of the land on which the campus was being built and the land where the staff quarters would be built opposite the Hotel Presidential to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
Wike also announced that the Rivers State Government has approved subvention for the running of the law school for the next four years.
The Rivers State governor further declared that he has the capacity and political will to complete the construction of the law school on schedule.
Performing the flag-off, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, who was represented by the Chairman, Council of Legal Education, Chief Nnaemeka Ngige, SAN, recounted how the journey leading to the foundation laying ceremony started with the request made by the governor for a law school in Port Harcourt.
He asserted that the Council of Legal Education has resolved that henceforth, any state government or group of persons wishing or offering to build a campus of Nigerian Law School in any other part of the country must comply with what is now called ‘the Rivers’ model’.
“I, therefore, use this medium to congratulate Governor Wike, the government and the good people of Rivers State for the vision and proactive stance in attracting this monumental project to Port Harcourt, Rivers State. It is epoch-making and a landmark achievement, which posterity will rate very highly in the history of Rivers State.”
He explained that following Wike’s request, the Council of Legal Education has accepted to name the Nigerian Law School, Port Harcourt Campus after legal luminary and former Attorney General of the Federation and Commissioner for Justice, Justice Nabo Bekinbo Graham-Douglas, SAN.
Also speaking, the Director General of the Nigerian Law School, Prof Isa Huyatu Chiroma, who commended Wike for his zeal to advance legal education, said academic activities were expected to start at the Port Harcourt campus in the next six to eight months.
The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, commended the governor for conceiving the idea of a law school in Port Harcourt, and further thanked the Attorney General of the Federation and the Council of Legal Education for the approval to site the campus in Rivers State.
In his remarks, the Rivers State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof Zacchaeus Adangor, said the law school campus in Port Harcourt would stand out as one of the most iconic achievements of Wike’s administration.
The President, Nigerian Bar Association, Olumide Akpata, noted that the governor has made history as Rivers State was the first to officially build a campus of the law school for the Council of Legal Education.
The former president, Nigerian Bar Association, Onueze O.J. Okocha, SAN, said it was gratifying to have a law school campus in Port Harcourt, which has over the years remained a centre of excellence in legal practise.
The Special Adviser on Special Project to the Governor, George-Kelly Alabo, while giving the project description, said facilities in the campus would comprise 14 structures, including 1,500- capacity classroom blocks, hostel blocks for 1,638 students, multipurpose hall, 16 units of 3-bedroom flat for staff quarters with swimming pool, gymnasium and lawn tennis court.
Other facilities include library, moot court/law clinic building, sick bay, administrative block, cafeteria and sporting facilities for students.