The Lagos State Public Advice Centre (PAC), under the Ministry of Justice, has reiterated its commitment to providing easy access to information for residents seeking to know their rights and responsibilities and also offer free legal advice in tandem with the State Government T.H.E.M.E.S. agenda on security and governance.
The Director of the Centre, Mrs. Husseina Akinnawo disclosed this recently during a chat with the media, stating that the Agency serves as an intermediary between the State and the people at the grassroots who require enlightenment on the policies and programmes of the State Government.
In her words: “PAC serves as the First Port of Call for residents in distress and a Directory for those who need information on where to seek recourse or help in cases of infringement by way of referral to relevant government institutions in accordance with the extant Laws of Lagos State”.
“The Centre is modelled according to the United Kingdom Citizens Advice Bureau now called Citizens Advice which resolves issues on a limitless range of subjects”, she added.
The Director further revealed that the Centre has treated over three million cases and recorded notable milestones since its inception in 2008, saying that in the last year, PAC attended to 8,987 cases ranging from free legal advice and referred cases from tenancy matters to debt recovery, domestic violence, consumer advisory services, violation of human rights violation, social exclusion and environmental related issues, among others.
This, according to Akinnawo, put the Centre in a position to help ensure access to justice and maintenance of stability in society through the promotion of legal awareness.
“To ensure that residents in the State take advantage of the services the State Government provides, the Centre plans to embark on more sensitisation campaigns, using both digital and traditional methods, while planning to open more Sub-Offices in the five divisions of Lagos State which will later be expanded to the 57 Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas so that more residents can benefit from its services”, she stated.
