Sunyani: The Global Media Foundation (GloMeF), a media advocacy non-governmental organisation, has expressed concern about barriers and existing disparity in the nation's justice delivery system. The foundation, which works to promote social justice, transparency, and all-inclusive development, noted that "exorbitant legal fees" denied the vulnerable population equal access to justice delivery.
According to Ghana News Agency, GloMeF has called on the Ghana Bar Association, Judicial Service, and the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General's Department to take concrete steps to make legal services easily accessible, more affordable, and efficient for the ordinary class. The foundation emphasized that charging exorbitant legal fees is making access to justice almost impossible for the poor and marginalised in society. This concern was conveyed in a statement issued and signed by Mr Raphael Godlove Ahenu, an international human rights activist and the founder and Chief Executive Officer of GloMeF.
A copy of the statement made available to the Ghana News Agency in Sunyani described the "high cost of legal services" as unacceptable, noting that it continues to push vulnerable women, youth, and rural dwellers away from seeking justice. The statement expressed heartbreak over the fact that many Ghanaians, especially those living in rural areas, are being denied justice simply because they cannot afford legal services. It emphasized that justice must never be a privilege for the rich, but a right for every citizen.
The GloMeF statement highlighted a recent survey conducted by the foundation, revealing that thousands of people in Ghana avoid legal services due to the substantial fees charged by legal practitioners and the long delays in the nation's judicial system. Despite the increasing number of individuals entering the legal profession, the costs have remained unreasonably high. This situation has led many people to suffer in silence rather than pursue justice they cannot afford. The statement stressed that access to justice is a fundamental human right enshrined in the 1992 Constitution and recognized by various international human rights conventions.
The foundation urged the government to strengthen the Legal Aid Commission by expanding its operations and resources to ensure that the poor and vulnerable can access quality legal representation. The statement concluded by asserting that true democracy can only thrive when justice is accessible to all citizens. Until financial and procedural barriers that prevent ordinary Ghanaians from seeking justice are removed, equality before the law will remain a distant dream.
