Legal Aid scheme calls for support

The Legal Aid Scheme (LAS), mandated to provide nationwide service for the poor and indigent who cannot access justice delivery, has only minimal presence in the Regional capitals and non-existence in the districts.

In addition, the scheme lacked equipment and other logistics such as computers and vehicles for effective and efficient operations.

It has four furnished offices in Kumasi, Sunyani, Sekondi and Tamale with the one in Ho under construction.

Mr Al-Hassan Yahaya Seini, Director of Legal Aid Scheme, announced these at a press briefing on the maiden celebration of “Legal Aid Week” in Accra.

The celebration scheduled for October 3-9, is to create awareness about activities and services of the scheme.

On the theme:“Empowering the Vulnerable in Society through Legal Aid”, the celebration would strengthen collaboration among organisations providing legal aid services as well as encouraging pro-bono services among lawyers and law students.

Mr Seini said available records indicated that out of the 24 million Ghanaians, less than 5,000 were lawyers including those on the bench, bar, non-practitioners with most of them practising in Accra, Kumasi and Takoradi.

He said the Scheme so far had 14 lawyers with none in Upper East and West Regions and 18 mediators serving as the frontline to provide for the justice needs of all the vulnerable in Ghana.

Mr Seini said the evolution of alternative means of resolving dispute, which had now attainted statutory status in the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) law, provided a greater opportunity for establishing a system of paralegals in the public and private services without further delay.

He noted that most Ghanaians participating in formal justice proceedings would require the assistance of people especially lawyers who were skilled in ADR.

“There is no denying that people with skills generally survived on the practice of their skills and therefore do not ordinarily assist those who require their services without adequate compensation. Justice, like food, shelter, education and health is a requirement for societal survival,” he said.

Mr Kwamina Bonfil, Board Member of LAS, said it had made various representation to the Attorney General and Government on how to resource the scheme to be able to provide services for the poor and vulnerable in society.

He called on government to set up a special fund for the scheme to operate efficiently and effectively.

Mr Bonfil said the Board would welcome support from corporate institutions and individuals to undertake its mandate to the poor and indigent.