LACON refocusing service delivery
This story has however changed since the appointment of Chief Bolaji Ayorinde led LACON Governing Board.Addressing a donor partnership roundtable on providing national coordination and improved legal aid services in Nigeria, organized by LACON and PRAWA, last Wednesday in Abuja, Mrs. Bob –Manuel, Director- General LACON stressed the need for L ACON to provide legal […]
This story has however changed since the appointment of Chief Bolaji Ayorinde led LACON Governing Board.
Addressing a donor partnership roundtable on providing national coordination and improved legal aid services in Nigeria, organized by LACON and PRAWA, last Wednesday in Abuja, Mrs. Bob –Manuel, Director- General LACON stressed the need for L ACON to provide legal aid to the indigent in Nigeria.’
The Nigerian Constitution by its Section 46 (4)
(b) provides; ‘shall make provisions
(i) for the rendering of financial assistance to any indigent citizen of Nigeria where his right under this Chapter has been infringed or with a view to enabling him to engage the services of a legal practitioner to prosecute his claim, and
(ii) for ensuring that allegations of infringement of such rights are substantial
and the requirement or need or financial or legal aid is real.
And by its enabling Act of 1976 now replaced by the Act of 2011, the Legal Aid Council came into being as the Organization to actualize this with a mission and vision.
Therefore it is obvious that legal aid must be provided but all cannot be provided by the Legal Aid Council alone.
The Legal Aid Act by its S17 (1), (2) and (3) gives the Council authority to maintain a register of Non-Governmental Organizations and law clinics engaged in provision of legal aid or assistance, partner or otherwise engage their services and grant licenses to persons who have undergone a prescribed course in Paralegal Services.
On the operating conditions of LACON, the DG said “We have devised win-win strategies that have enabled us to operate in spite of domestic and global challenges.
Giving each lawyer a working grant of N30, 000.00 per month to motivate them to visit prisons in order to represent awaiting trial persons as well as other indigent Nigerians who ‘walk in’ to our offices.”
According to her, training programmes are being organized for all legal staff (273 lawyers) in 2013, she mentioned that there has been an increase in the number of legal officers through the years, adding however that the Council loses a high number who resign for better jobs and the older workforce are retiring.
“The management is working with Salaries and Wages Commission to improve the salaries to stem the tide of resignations,” she added.
Those present at the parley include representatives of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC), Department for International Development (DFID), the European Union (EU), the Switzerland Embassy and other participating donors.