Chief justice declares this week Alternative dispute resolution week

Ghana’s Chief Justice (CJ), Madam Sophia Boafoa Akuffo has declared this week beginning Monday, November 19, to Friday, 23, to be observed as the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Week for the legal year.

ADR has been adopted by the Judicial Service of Ghana as part of its adjudicating process dubbed, “Court-connected ADR”.

This was announced in press statement by Mr Alex Nartey, the National ADR Coordinator, and copied to Accra based Prime News. “The aim of this programme is to ensure that access to justice in Ghana is made easier, cheaper, non-adversarial, expeditious and flexible to all, particularly, the poor and vulnerable,” it explained.

The aim of the exercise is to reduce the backlog of cases at the 107 courts by 20 percent, the statement said, and called for the public’s support.In all, 28 circuit courts and 79 district courts shall participate by devoting the period for the settlement of court cases with ADR across the country.

“Pursuant to that, the Chief Justice in a policy directive on the Court-Connected ADR Programme, instituted an ADR week, in every legal year term, which is to give parties the opportunity to settle their cases through mediation”.

According to the statement, programmes and other activities will run to create awareness on the availability of ADR as a complement to the adjudication process in the court. The theme for this year’s week celebration is: “Application of ADR by the courts: A shared responsibility for quality justice”.

The release said the week’s opening would be marked by a press conference, at the Takoradi Harbour District Court, in the Western Region, at 9 o’clock in the forenoon.

Justice Irene Charity Larbi, a Justice of the Court of Appeal and Justice-in-Charge of ADR, would address the ceremony, and would be supported by Mr Nartey, the statement added.