Staff of Ghana’s Legal Aid Commission have announced plans to strike from Monday, November 25, citing years of neglect and deteriorating working conditions.
Despite the inauguration of the state-of-the-art Law House five months ago, the Commission remains in its overcrowded and decaying offices, with promises to relocate yet to be fulfilled.
The Legal Aid Commission, which provides essential legal services to vulnerable Ghanaians, is grappling with severe challenges. Staff complain of cramped offices, inadequate facilities, and poor working environments.
Some offices designed for a single occupant now host up to 10 people, leaving lawyers with no privacy when consulting clients. Hallways have been converted into storage areas, and many client chairs are reportedly torn and infested with bedbugs.
A staff member, speaking anonymously to Channel One News, said frustration is mounting: “It’s unbearable. We’ve been promised better conditions, but nothing has changed.”
Clients visiting the offices have also voiced their disappointment. “This is not fair,” said Lordina Adjeley Annan. “When I go inside, the chairs are inappropriate, and I can’t even talk to my lawyer without everyone watching.”
As some staff began to down tools ahead of the planned strike, frustrated clients were reportedly turned away.
The impending strike threatens to disrupt the Commission’s vital services, intensifying calls for urgent government intervention.
Source:TheDotNews