PRO BONO CLEARING HOUSE PAYS VISIT TO DIRECTOR-GENERAL LAC

Representatives of the Pro bono Clearing House paid a visit to Mr. Abubakar B. Aliyu, Director-General Legal Aid Council. They were received by the DG and Management members of the Council.

The team from the Pro bono Clearing House consisted of the Programme Coordinator, Mr Mutiu O. Akinsanya Esq., the Abuja Coordinator, Mrs Esther Omale and Mrs Anike. The leader of the team, Mr Akinsanya introduced the Clearing House and the members of the team. He also congratulated Mr. Abubakar Aliyu on his appointment as DG LAC.

He explained that the Clearing House was set up in 2018 by the Justice Research Institute Ltd. Gte in collaboration with the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) with support from the Open Society Initiative of West Africa (OSIWA) with the aim of complimenting the efforts of the Council in addressing the ever-increasing demand by indigents and the disadvantaged for pro bono legal services through their various state coordinators, officers and stakeholders. The Pro Bono Clearing House sought to partner with the Council and has four focal states, namely, Abuja, Kaduna, Osun and Sokoto States and will soon extend to Kebbi State.

The DG LAC on behalf of Management welcomed the team and expressed their delight and willingness to partner with the Pro bono Clearing House. He said registration forms would be made available to them and this partnership would indeed boost access to justice to indigent Nigerians. Director International Operations, Ms Grace Nsot informed the team that the Council also served as a Clearing House on a project sponsored by the British Council and asked them to keep the Council abreast of their activities so the two organisations can work together more effectively towards the common goal.