Ghanaians advised to patronise Legal Aid services

Mr Alhassan Yahaya Seini, the Executive Director of the Legal Aid Scheme (LAS), said a large number of people were remanded in prison custody because of lack of proper defenses.

“People are convicted not because they are wrong or right but because they fail to present their defenses in a right manner to be recognised by the court for proper conviction,” he said.

Mr Seini made the statement at a consultative and network meeting of Legal Aid Service providers held in Tamale on Wednesday as a means to foster and maintain working relationship with socially and financially disadvantaged clients.

He said a survey conducted last year by the LAS showed that 66 per cent of Ghanaians were unaware of the existence of Legal Aid Scheme and that its functioning had not been effective as it should in the country.

He said the profession lacked adequate logistics and infrastructure which had accounted for the inability to provide adequate Legal Aid services to socially and financially disadvantaged clients in the country.

Mr Awudu Issah Mahmuda, the Northern Regional Director of the Service, said the LAS should discuss and establish a referral mechanism to minimise duplication of efforts and ensure optimum use of all resources.

He said the LAS and the Alternative Dispute Resolution should network to ensure optimum service delivery to benefit the poor and disadvantaged.

Source: GNA