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Staff of the Legal Aid Commission have announced their intention to embark on a strike starting Monday, November 25, citing years of neglect and the failure to relocate them to the newly inaugurated Law House.
Despite the commissioning of the Law House five months ago, the Commission remains stuck in its current overcrowded and deteriorating premises. This has raised concerns about the government’s commitment to supporting the institution tasked with providing crucial legal services to Ghanaians.
Overcrowding and Poor Facilities
The Commission operates under substandard conditions, with overcrowding and a lack of basic amenities hampering its efficiency. Offices designed to accommodate one person now house up to 10 staff members at a time. Lawyers attending to clients lack privacy, with cramped seating arrangements further compounding the issue.
Scenes from the office show hallways repurposed as storage spaces, underscoring the dire state of the Commission’s facilities.
Staff and Clients Voice Frustration
Some staff members, speaking anonymously to Channel One News, described the deplorable conditions, including torn chairs infested with bed bugs. “The situation has reached a breaking point,” one employee said, adding that promises to relocate to the Law House have remained unfulfilled.
The frustration is shared by clients, many of whom have been turned away as staff prepare to lay down their tools. One client, Lordina Adjeley Annan, expressed her disappointment:
“This is not fair. The office has to be renovated or relocated. When I go inside the office, the chairs are not appropriate, and I can’t even talk to my lawyer without all eyes staring at me.”
As the November 25 deadline approaches, the Legal Aid Commission’s looming strike could disrupt access to justice for many Ghanaians, highlighting the urgent need for intervention to address the Commission’s challenges.
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