The University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS) has been granted approval to run the newly introduced one-year pre-Bar programme, marking a major milestone in legal education in Northern Ghana.
The announcement was made by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Emmanuel Kanchebe Derbile, during the university’s second congregation ceremony for the School of Law and a special graduation for the School of Graduate Studies in Wa.
According to him, the General Legal Council has selected UBIDS as one of 19 institutions across the country authorised to implement the pre-Bar programme under the Legal Education Act, 2026 (Act 1170).
He said the approval follows the government’s legal education reforms aimed at expanding access to professional legal training and expressed confidence that the university is well-positioned to prepare graduates for the Bar examinations.
Professor Derbile also revealed that 70 students, comprising 61 males and nine females, graduated from the School of Law this year, bringing the total number of LLB graduates produced by the university to 133 since the programme was introduced.
He noted that the university’s maiden batch of law graduates recorded an impressive performance in the Ghana School of Law entrance examinations, with 28 out of 42 candidates—representing nearly 70 percent—currently pursuing the professional law course.
The Vice-Chancellor further announced that 298 postgraduate students, including eight PhD and 290 master’s degree graduates, were also awarded degrees during the ceremony.
He urged the graduates to uphold integrity, innovation and professionalism as they contribute to national development.
Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, who was the Special Guest of Honour, commended UBIDS for its rapid growth despite infrastructure challenges and pledged his continued support for the institution.
He described the university as a strategic driver of national development and praised its contribution to expanding access to legal education in Northern Ghana.
Mr Bagbin also welcomed the legal education reforms, saying they would eliminate long-standing barriers to professional legal training while maintaining quality through effective regulation.
Chairman of the UBIDS Governing Council, Dr Benjamin Bewa-Nyog Kunbuor, said the graduation symbolised the university’s commitment to producing professionals equipped with the knowledge, ethical values and leadership skills required to drive Ghana’s development.
He called for sustained investment in higher education, research and innovation, stressing that universities remain central to the country’s socio-economic transformation.
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