Ghana's Legal Aid Commission Staff Threaten Strike Over Deplorable Conditions
Accra, Ghana - Nov 22, 2024 - Staff of Ghana's Legal Aid Commission are on the brink of a strike, citing years of neglect and appalling working conditions. Despite the commissioning of the new Law House five months ago, the Commission remains stuck in its overcrowded and deteriorating office.
The Legal Aid Commission, responsible for providing vital legal services to Ghanaians, is operating in conditions that are unacceptable. Lawyers and staff are cramped into tiny offices, with some rooms meant for one person now housing up to 10 people at a time. Clients are forced to sit on torn and bedbug-infested chairs, with no alternative available.
The situation has reached a boiling point, with staff members threatening to lay down their tools beginning Monday, November 25. Frustrated clients are already turning away, expressing disappointment over the situation.
"This is not fair," said Lordina Adjeley Annan, a frustrated client. "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."
The strike threat comes as a last resort for staff, who have been pushing for better working conditions and a relocation to the new Law House.
Source: Florence Kyei / Lead News Online
