The Legal Aid Scheme has inaugurated its Yendi Office to provide free legal services and advice to the poor and vulnerable in the municipality and its environs.

The Yendi Legal Aid Scheme’s Office, which was established with sponsorship from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), was to promote and consolidate peace and development in the Yendi Municipality.

Alhaji Mohammed Muniru Limuna, Northern Regional Minister, whose speech was read on his behalf, charged the Yendi Legal Aid Scheme to work to ensure constitutional democracy, rule of law and access to justice for all.

Alhaji Limuna said legal aid services were relevant for the development of the country and urged all who would require such services to visit the office for assistance.

Mr Issah Mahamudu, Northern Regional Director of the Legal Aid Scheme, explained that “The Legal Aid Scheme is established under Act 542 (1997) of Parliament to provide legal assistance to the poor and indigents as well as other persons in the prosecution and defence of their rights under the Constitution of Ghana.

“The Legal Aid Scheme is at Yendi to deliver justice to the people of Yendi and its surrounding communities,” he added.

Miss Daphne Lariba Nabila, Executive Director of the Legal Resource Center, whose speech was read on her behalf, said in a baseline survey of the justice sector in 2012, it was revealed that 80 percent of Ghanaians sampled were not aware of the existence of the Legal Aid Scheme and its services.

Mr Bossman Owusu, Communications Analyst at UNDP, who represented the UNDP Country Director, said a lot of people were unable to afford basic legal services although access to justice was an essential element in the democratic process.

Mr Owusu said “There is therefore, need for non – state actors to support Legal Aid Scheme delivery if the poor and vulnerable are to have access to justice.”