Delivering his statement at the official inauguration, UTG Vice Chancellor Prof Momodou M.O.Kah, said the day was a historic moment and marked an important event in the annals of the UTG and the nation.
The concurrence of events is indeed an irrefutable testimony to the ongoing transformation and development of The UTG and the country, he said.
“As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 22nd July Revolution, let us clap our hands to return gratitude to God and to thank profoundly our Chancellor President Yahya Jammeh for his boldness and vision to bring university education to the doorsteps of every Gambian, irrespective of socio-economic standing and through Allah’s blessings changing the trajectories of not only our students’ futures, but that of their families, communities, our beloved country The Gambia, Africa and humanity at large,” said Prof Kah.
The Faculty of Law, which was established in 2006 barely eight years ago, under the directive of the Chancellor, has grown exponentially from a modest number of 12 to a total enrolment of 386 with 17 being non Gambians from Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon, he said.
They have graduated 114 Bachelor of Law holders, 63 male and 51 females and out of this 48 have gone to successfully complete their Bar at the Gambia Law School under the strict professional purview of the General Legal Council.
Thus, the bold objective to improve access and quality of legal services and justice in The Gambia and abroad has come to fruition, he added.
“Our alumni are already making their mark, both nationally and internationally,” he said, adding that others are serving in the Gambian Judiciary as magistrates, legal counsel and advocates in the private, public and NGO sectors and bringing quality to the national and international justice systems.
Another structure inaugurated wouldbecome the home of the newly-launched School of Journalism and Digital Media, which made history in September by welcoming the first-ever cohort of students to receive university level training in journalism and digital media, Prof Kah stated.
The new Faculty of Law edifice comes in fulfilment of efforts not only to modernize, but also to comprehensively restructure and reorganize the University of The Gambia.
The university was able to construct this multipurpose complex from its own revenues, given the low student tuition they charge to make university education affordable and accessible as directed by their Chancellor, he went on.
This magnificent building is also now ready for use as the home of the Legal Aid Clinic, which offers pro-bono legal services; has five special lecture and seminar rooms, a library, a coffee shop and cafeteria, a VIP lounge and a conference hall with capacity to hold more than 500 guests on the top floor; the dean’s office and an adjacent assistant’s office, and other facilities.
The University of The Gambia, which today has found its rightful place as one of the sterling manifestations of growth and advancement in the country, has an enviable story to tell having been there already for 15 of those 20 momentous years, Prof. Kah declared.
