The Member of Parliament (MP) for Kwesimintim, Philip Fiifi Buckman, has called on government to urgently re-resource the Legal Aid Commission with more lawyers and district-level offices.
According to him, the Commission is severely understaffed, leaving vulnerable citizens who cannot afford private legal counsel without representation.
Buckman, who is also a member of Parliament’s Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee, made the call at the launch of the 2026 Legal Aid Week celebration on the theme “Justice at Your Doorstep.”
He said a recent parliamentary tour of various regions highlighted the acute shortage of legal aid lawyers and essential work tools in many offices.
The lawmaker warned that failure to provide legal support to the poor could have dire consequences for the country’s democracy.
“Where there is no rule of law, there is no democracy, and without democracy, there is no rule of law,” he stated, adding that for the law to function effectively there must be certainty, equal applicability, and above all, accessibility.
He said without access to justice, aggrieved individuals may be forced to take the law into their own hands.
Buckman assured that the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee will engage the Attorney-General to ensure the Commission receives the necessary support.
He added that the Committee is also committed to ensuring that other oversight institutions, including the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and the Right to Information (RTI) Commission, are well-equipped to deliver on their mandates.
Source: Collins Kofi Asante
