News · Peter Amaane

Eastern Regional Legal Aid Commission marks 2026 Legal Aid Week

The Eastern Regional office of the Legal Aid Commission, is embarking on a legal outreach programme in some parts of the Eastern Region including Abompe and Suhum. The initiative is intended to sensitize the public about the services and mandate of the commission. 

Speaking on GBC Sunrise FM’s morning show “Ade Akyi Bia” as part of activities marking the 2026 Legal Aid week themed “Justice at Your Doorstep,” a lawyer, Alicia Amankwah, said the commission has thirteen offices in the Eastern Region, bringing justice to the doorstep of the poor and the vulnerable. 

She added, that justice is not a privilege for the rich but rather a right accessible to every citizen. 

Lawyer Amankwah announced that the commission has two main units, the legal and the Alternative Dispute Resolution, ADR, units explaining that the legal unit is responsible for representing clients in courts for free. 

She stressed that the legal representation is the reserved for the poor, while civil disputes are usually settled by the ADR unit.

She explained, that applicants are subjected to intensified vetting to verify they do not have financial capability to engage private lawyers before the commission represent them. 

Lawyer Linda Terkie, also from the Legal Aid Commission, reiterated that the Commission is accessible to every Ghanaian. 

She advised the public to explore the ADR in civil cases.

"ADR is a more relaxed form of dispute resolution and we have trained personnel to handle such cases. One major advantage of ADR which even we the lawyers encourage people to explore , is that court cases take long time to conclude due to many adjournments." She noted.

The Legal Aid Week is observed annually to promote ADR, simplify complex law process to the masses, and expand access to justice.