Lagos Sensitizes Residents On Free Legal Service

Officials of the eight agencies and units under the Lagos State Ministry of Justice stormed Agege area of the state on Thursday to sensitise residents on free legal services being rendered by government to the downtrodden. The sensitization under the Legal Clinic of the Ministry of Justice saw officials of the agencies and units visited the Agege Local Government, the Hausa community, Isokoko Market, among others. Director, Public Advise Centre, Ministry of Justice, Tola Akinsanya said the essence of the sensitization was to let people know about the Legal Clinic where free legal services were offered to residents of Lagos by the government. She said Lagosians could explore the Citizens Mediation Centre, when they had dispute which could be settled amicably rather than going to court, adding that one could also explore the free legal service rendered by the Office of Public Defender, OPD. “If you need legal counsel, OPD can defend you free and if you are sacked, you can go to the Citizens Mediation Centre to mediate in the dispute between you and your employer and if your case is on fundamental human right, you have the Citizens Rights to help you,” he said. Akinsanya said it was Governor Akinwunmi Ambode who ordered that the Legal Clinic be established to cater for the legal needs of Lagosians, adding that residents of Agege were very happy about the sensitization. Director, Citizens Mediation Centre, CMC, Oluwatoyin Odusanya said the centre explored the option of Alternative Dispute Resolution, ADR, to resolve disputes among residents of Lagos. She added that the ADR mechanism of dispute resolution was best in handling dispute rather than litigation, adding that the centre had been established in 18 locations across the state. Odusanya urged those who were yet to benefit from the services provided by the Ministry to take advantage of the visit to resolve all lingering issues bothering on landlord and tenants, debt reclaim, land issues, matrimonial cases, among other. “We have met with the Council Chairman of Agege local government, the Seriki of Agege and other opinion leaders within this community to help spread the news and further sensitize the residents to embrace this laudable initiative of the state government” the Director stated. She added that the emphasis being placed on amicable dispute resolution through Citizens’ Mediation Centre, CMC is because of its potency in solving disputes while also sustaining already existing relationships between the parties involved. Chairman, Agege Local Government, Ganiyu Egunjobi urged residents of Agege to take advantage of the free legal services being offered by government to resolve their problems. The eight agencies that held the sensitization exercise together are: Citizens’ Mediation Centre, Office of Public Defender, OPD, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Office of the Administrator-General and Public Trustee, Public Advice Centre, PAC, Domestic, Directorate for Citzens Rights, One Stop Child Justice Centre, Community Service Unit and Sexual Violence Response Team, DSVRT.]]>