A ceremony has been held to welcome first year students of the Faculty of Law of the University of Cape Coast at the conference hall of the Senior Club House at the University of Cape Coast.
The event dubbed “Roll Call Ceremony of Law Students” was meant to induct first year students of the faculty and also recognize high performing second year students.
Addressing the students, the founding Dean of the Faculty of Law, Prof. Philip Ebow Bondzi-Simpson, said the faculty was poised to producing holistic law professionals and not those who would have no relevance outside their chosen profession.
The dean said the faculty would produce law graduates who were competent in research and the use of Information Communication Technology in the litigation work. He said they were working to see law students who would exit as “cultured people by dressing well and appearing at social functions as well-refined professionals who could stand boot to boot with whoever they meet in their work. “We are training you in law not to be cowards but bold, have opinion, always possessing cogent evidence as well as respecting all bearing in mind that decorum is important,” he pointed out.
He advised them to read a lot so that they could be thorough with their presentations always.
The keynote speaker for the programme Ehunabobrim Prah Agyensaim VI, speaking on the theme “adjudication and alternate dispute resolution” refuted the claim that lawyers defend the indefensible saying that “lawyers defend the rights of people in any dispute” adding that people have this opinion because they do not understand “the law and its language”.
He lamented that it was becoming difficult for people to engage in civil suits since the time to resolve such cases take far too long. “This does not make people confident in the courts, protagonists leave the courts hating each other”.
This has no doubt given birth to resorting to Alternate Dispute Resolution to settle or resolve disputes. “It is a range of procedures aim at the settling of disputes by negotiated agreements instead of using the method of the traditional courts”.
The Omanhen of Assin Kushea Traditional Area, Nana Prah Agyensaim who is also, said he was happy that now the use of ADR has been recognised by the traditional courts and has become integral part of the judicial system. “It is refreshing to note and state that the courts are welcoming the use of ADR in dispute resolution”.
According to the key note speaker, chiefs have practiced the ADR system since time immemorial by combining it with the jurist system. “No chief listens to a case and pronounces on it to be binding without the input of the jurists”. He said ADR does not only seek justice but but peace “we swear an oath that after the case all will live in peace”. He told the students that everything they say in court will be recorded so they have a burden of safeguarding their reputation and that of their profession and families.
The Supervising High Court Judge of Sekondi, his lordship Peter Ababio administered the oath to the 46 first year students.
Citations were presented to second year students who had CPGA of 3.6 and above during their first year of study at the faculty.
The Provost of the College of Humanities and Legal Studies Prof. Stephen Kendie chaired the function and noted that learning has always been paramount to UCC.
Present at the function were the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Prof. John Nelson Buah, Registrar, Mr. John Nyan, Provosts and deans from UCC and Deans of sister Law faculties from other universities.
source: ucc.edu.gh
