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Legal Aid opens new office in Asante-Akim South

The Legal Aid Commission as part of efforts to make justice accessible to all Ghanaians, especially those in rural communities, has opened a new office at Juaso in the Asante-Akim South District.

Date Created : 11/13/2019 12:00:00 AM : Story Author : Yussif Ibrahim/Emmanuel Boadu

The office is the first to be opened at the sub-regional level in the country since the Legal Aid Scheme was elevated to a Commission in 2018.

The Municipal Assembly provided the office which was furnished by Professor Ken Attafua, Chief Executive of the National Identification Authority (NIA), a native of Juaso.

Mr Martin Amoyaw, Acting Executive Director of the Commission, said the inauguration of the office demonstrated the commitment of the Commission to make its services accessible to all.

He said ensuring free access to justice for the vulnerable in society, was a constitutional right that the Commission was vigorously pursuing.

This, he noted, would require the opening of offices in various districts and municipalities across the country.

He however, implored people in the adjoining districts such as Bosome-Freho, Asante-Akim North and Asante-Akim Central to seek legal services from the new office.

He praised Prof. Attafua for singlehandedly furnishing the office and urged the people in the Municipality to patronize the office for free legal services.

Mr Alexander Frimpong, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), said about 80 per cent of the population in the Municipality were poor, hence bringing legal aid services to them, was in the right direction.

He was hopeful that lack of money for legal representation would no more be a hindrance in seeking justice.

Prof. Ken Attafuah said the absence of legal aid in the Municipality, had always been a challengen to him as an individual, as he had to offer free legal services to the indigenes, who could not afford the services of lawyers over the years.

That, according to him, informed his decision to support the establishment of the office to ensure the people were not denied justice because of poverty.