The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has lauded the University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS) for its resilience and rapid growth, describing the institution as “a tremendous blessing” to the Upper West Region and Ghana.
Delivering the keynote address at the 2nd Congregation of the School of Law and Special Graduation of the School of Graduate Studies, Speaker Bagbin reflected on his long-standing association with UBIDS, recalling its difficult beginnings and celebrating its emergence as a competitive academic force. He arrived with a personal donation of law books to the Faculty and pledged further discussions with the Governing Council on additional support.
Legal Education Reform
The Speaker used the occasion to brief graduands on the passage of the Legal Education Reform Act, 2026 (Act 1170), which ends the monopoly of the Ghana School of Law and permits accredited universities to mount a one-year Bar Practice Program. Bagbin openly endorsed UBIDS as one of the five institutions likely to be accredited, declaring: “I cast my vote for UBIDS. It is, after all, the premier Law School in the North.”
Infrastructure and Expansion
Acknowledging challenges such as inadequate teaching facilities and accommodation, Bagbin assured the university community that government efforts to complete stalled projects would transform the campus within two years. He also revealed ongoing plans to establish a Medical School at UBIDS, including a partnership with the Medical University of Ajman in the UAE and the installation of six new dialysis machines at the Upper West Regional Hospital.
Call to Graduands
In a stirring conclusion, the Speaker urged graduands to embrace discipline, resilience, and ethical leadership, encouraging them to use their knowledge for community and national development. “Tough times do not last. Tough institutions do,” he said, saluting UBIDS’s instinct for progress. “UBIDS, you will rise and shine and shine.”
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