The Northern Regional branch of Legal Aid has organised a week-long activity in the region.
The Director for the Ghana legal aid commission in the northern region, lawyer Issah Mahmud used this year’s Legal Aid week celebration to sensitize residents in Tamale on some laws of Ghana as well as the services offered by the Ghana Legal Aid Commission.
He highlighted some challenges house owners subject their tenants to, thus having legal penalties.
Lawyer Issah said: “You will be in a house with your landlord and his large family but whenever they bring water bill he makes you and other tenants alone to pay the bill and whenever you confront him over the payment of the bill, he asks you to pack out of his house.”
Lawyer Issah Mahmud underscored the need for citizens to know their basic rights and entitlements.
The Legal Aid week celebration brought together persons from both the formal and informal segments of the public and was organized by Legal Resources Center (LRC) and partners under the USAID Justice Sector Support Activity with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Background
The Legal Aid Commission is an independent Statutory Body formed under the Legal Aid Act 1996 and the Legal Aid Amendment Act 2009.
The Commission began operations in July 1998 to provide legal services to those who could not afford the services of a private legal practitioner.
The Commission has been given constitutional recognition under the 2013 Constitution which further guarantees it’s operational, administrative, and financial independence.
It is a State-funded organization and the only legal aid service provider in the country providing a range of legal services for free.
The Commission provides free legal aid services to members of the public by giving advice, providing legal representation in court and other related services. Currently, the Commission provides service in all areas of Family, Criminal, and Civil law, while assistance is provided in civil law matters but these are limited to certain areas of practice only. Assistance through the Legal Aid scheme is given to an individual upon the fulfilment of the eligibility criteria.
With the vision of providing access to justice through professional, efficient and quality legal aid services while its mission is to provide greater access to justice through quality legal aid services to those who are unable to afford such assistance, including women, children and those with special needs.
By: Prince Kwame Tamakloe/Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
