The Chief Justice, Mr. Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, has called on Ghanaians to adopt the court-connected Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism to address disputes within a reasonable time.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie explained that ADR personnel were trained and posted to the various courts, which he stressed was the most convenient form of settling disputes since it saves time, reduces cost, enhances confidence, and ensures satisfaction between parties after resolving cases.
The Chief Justice made the call when he launched the ADR week celebration in Ho on the theme: “Adoption of Innovation and Technology to Enhance Access to Justice Delivery through ADR”, which was attended by judicial staff from the Volta and Oti regions, students, traditional authorities, and civil society organisations (CSOs), among others.
He said that with the use of technology in ADR, parties were allowed to present their cases while at home, with the guidance of an ADR officer to mediate and ensure that parties came to a conclusion that was mutually accepted, which would then be presented to the judge as the official judgement.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie emphasized that the ADR system of arbitration had proved over the years to be the best way to settle cases, since it “was fast, reliable, and resolved disputes amicably between parties without spending years litigating over cases, which could be settled within a week or two.”
He, therefore, urged lawyers to educate their clients to embrace the court-connected ADR system to ensure satisfaction, save cost, and foster harmony between parties after a judgement, which is decided by the parties themselves.
“I wish to encourage lawyers that ADR will not take away your payment of fees; rather, your clients will become satisfied for helping them settle their disputes early, and they will show you gratitude. Even though Ghanaians are generally litigious, I know they will accept the ADR system with regular education,” he stressed.
According to Justice Baffoe-Bonnie, even though ADR was the best form of settling cases, it could not handle criminal cases, which are the preserve of the traditional courts, like murder and defilement. He encouraged judges and magistrates to identify possible cases that ADR could handle to reduce congestion in the courts.
An Appeal Court Judge and the National Coordinator of ADR, Justice Angelina Mensah-Homiah, announced that a total of 37,000 cases were peacefully settled under the court-connected ADR system since 2010. She said education on the importance of ADR settlement of cases was ongoing to help Ghanaians appreciate its significance and adopt it for resolving disputes.
She further noted that ADR would prevent litigants from spending years in court over cases that ADR could settle within months, promote good relationships between parties, and warned that the police’s role is not debt collection, as people in debt cannot be imprisoned for indebtedness.
The Volta Regional Minister, Mr. James Gunu, said ADR was crucial in ensuring the fast disposal of cases, explaining that investors consider the judicial system of a country before investing. He added that ADR would give investors confidence in Ghana’s judicial system, promoting economic growth and investment.
BY SAMUEL AGBEWODE, HO
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