The President of the Centre for Citizens Empowerment (CCE), lawyer Alex Nartey, has declared that justice should never be the exclusive domain of the wealthy but a fundamental right for every Ghanaian irrespective of financial or social standing.
Speaking at the official relaunch of the CCE on Saturday, November 15, 2025, in Accra under the theme “Justice and Dignity for All, Empowering the Poor through Access to Justice”, lawyer Nartey highlighted the plight of thousands of Ghanaians who endure injustices in workplaces, families, communities and basic rights due to the prohibitive costs of legal representation and court processes.
“Thousands of Ghanaians continue to suffer injustices at work, in their families, in their communities, and even in their basic rights simply because they lack the means to seek redress,” he stated.
“For many, the cost of hiring a lawyer or going to court is beyond reach. For others, the long and complex nature of court processes discourages them from even trying. The result is silence in the face of wrongs and silence, we all know, breeds more injustice,” he added.
He noted that CCE, founded on the principle of equal access to justice, prioritizes Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) as its primary intervention.
He stressed that the center in partnership with the Ghana National Association of ADR Practitioners (GNAAP), deploys professional mediators who volunteer to facilitate dialogue and mediation for disputes in families, communities, workplaces and business transactions.
“Where disputes require formal adjudication, we also work with lawyers who have graciously dedicated one day a week to offer free or heavily discounted legal services to those who cannot afford a lawyer,” Nartey explained.
He noted that as a civil society organisation, the center complements the efforts of the Legal Aid Commission.
He emphasised the signficance of the relaunch of CCE stating that it comes amid rising living costs, widening inequality, unlawful evictions, business cheats, workplace exploitation and abusive relationships that trap the vulnerable due to lack of affordable legal recourse.
The president described the CCE as “a bridge connecting the poor to justice, the voiceless to a platform, and the broken to restoration.”
He urged affected citizens to visit the centre for assistance through dialogue or litigation.
“You are not alone. Our doors are open to you,” he assured.
Calling for broader support, the CCE president invited mediators, lawyers, social workers, and advocates to volunteer time and skills. He also appealed to partners and donors for financial, logistical, and moral backing to sustain the initiative.
“In conclusion, the measure of any just society is not how it treats the powerful, but how it protects the powerless,” he said.
“At the Centre for Citizens Empowerment, we are committed to making justice accessible, affordable, and humane — because justice is not a privilege, it is a right,” Alex Nartey added.
The event drew distinguished guests, media representatives, justice partners, and citizens committed to the cause.
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