Legal Aid Commission takes free legal services to Techiman main lorry terminal

The Ghana Legal Aid Commission has launched its 2026 Legal Aid Week with a bold new approach to closing the country’s access-to-justice gap, bringing free legal services directly to the people who need them most.

Under the theme “Justice at Your Doorstep,” the Commission has rolled out a pilot outreach initiative that takes legal aid out of formal offices and into the heart of everyday Ghanaian life: markets and lorry terminals.

The program specifically targets traders, commercial drivers, and vulnerable citizens who cannot easily leave their workplaces to seek legal assistance.

For years, access to justice in Ghana has been hindered by a simple but stubborn barrier: geography and economics. Traders in busy markets and drivers at lorry terminals often cannot afford to abandon their livelihoods for a day to visit a legal aid office -assuming they even know such services exist.

“We see justice not to be a commodity to be sold to the highest bidder,” said Justice Seidu Anafure, Senior Legal Aid Officer at the Commission’s Bono East Regional Office.

“The traditional approach has been for people to come to us. But we realized the most vulnerable cannot leave their work to come to our offices. So we decided to reverse the equation; we are taking justice to them.”

The initiative was officially launched in Accra, with planned stops at the Tema Station lorry terminal, Kaneshie Market, and Kasoa Market. But the program is not confined to the capital. Regional offices across the country are rolling out similar localized outreach efforts.

Today, the Bono East Regional Office stormed the Techiman Main Lorry Terminal, where citizens consulted directly with lawyers, received legal education, and got assistance with dispute resolution, including Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)—all free of charge.

The ADR component is particularly significant. By focusing on out-of-court settlements, the Commission offers a faster, less adversarial, and more accessible path to resolving conflicts that might otherwise drag through Ghana’s overburdened court system for years.

For many who attended the Techiman outreach, it was their first-ever interaction with a lawyer.

One commercial driver, who stopped to listen between loading trips, said the session had been eye-opening.

“I came here to load my vehicle, but I ended up getting free legal advice,” he said.

“This is very helpful. I wish they could do this regularly, maybe every month. We have so many issues among ourselves, and sometimes we don’t know where to go.”

A trader who consulted with a lawyer on a long-standing dispute expressed similar gratitude.

“I didn’t know I could get legal help for free,” she said. “I thought lawyers were only for the rich. Today, I’ve registered my case, and they are going to help me. I’m very grateful.”

The session also featured an open question-and-answer segment, where participants raised concerns ranging from landlord-tenant disputes to family and commercial matters.

The Commission’s message is clear: justice should not be a privilege reserved for those who can afford it.

“Whether you are a driver, a trader, a farmer, or a vulnerable citizen, if you have a legal problem, we are here to help,” Anafure said. “Justice at your doorstep is not just a theme. It is our commitment.”