Gov Diri Seeks Increase In NDU Law Students’ Admission Quota To 300

Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has appealed to the Council of Legal Education (CLE) to increase the admission quota for law students at the state-owned Niger Delta University (NDU) from the current 80 to about 300.

Diri made the appeal on Tuesday when an accreditation panel from the Council of Legal Education, led by the Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, Dr. Olugbemisola Odusote, paid a courtesy visit to the Government House in Yenagoa.

The governor said the request was part of his administration’s commitment to expanding access to quality legal education in the state and strengthening state-owned tertiary institutions.

He said the state government would continue to support NDU, the Nigerian Law School campus in Yenagoa and other state-owned institutions despite the financial burden involved.

> “We cannot but continue to support you and support the NDU and all of our state-owned institutions. But we also appeal that the Council of Legal Education increase the admission quota of law students to NDU from the current 80 to about 300,” Diri said.

The governor noted that Bayelsa has about three state-owned universities, in addition to polytechnics and a college of education, stressing that the government remained committed to providing quality education across the institutions.

Diri expressed optimism that facilities at both the NDU Faculty of Law and the Nigerian Law School campus in Yenagoa would improve before the panel’s next visit.

He also directed the Commissioners for Education and Works and Infrastructure to visit the Nigerian Law School campus to assess areas requiring government intervention, particularly the clearing of waterlogged areas and pits on the premises.

The governor further promised to consider other requests presented by the delegation and assured the panel that his administration would continue to support the growth and development of legal education in the state.

Earlier, Odusote commended Governor Diri for his support for legal education, particularly the NDU Faculty of Law and the Nigerian Law School campus in Yenagoa.

She explained that the visit was part of the Council of Legal Education’s routine quality assurance and accreditation exercise for law faculties across the country, adding that the panel also came to present its exit report to the governor.

According to her, facilities at the NDU Faculty of Law were in good condition but required further improvements to meet global standards.

She urged the state government to increase investment in human resources and infrastructure at the faculty, noting that more was expected of the government because the institution was state-owned.

Odusote said the full report of the panel’s findings would be submitted to the Council of Legal Education for further action.

She also appealed to the governor to provide solar-powered lighting at the Nigerian Law School campus and connect the institution to the state’s gas turbine power plant to reduce the cost of diesel used to power its generator.

Other requests included the provision of permanent staff quarters, additional office accommodation for NDU law lecturers, more lecture halls and smart boards, as well as improved library facilities and an increase in the faculty’s book collection.