General News of Wednesday, 10 November 2021
Source: starrfm.com.gh
2021-11-10
The ADR program has been extended to 131 courts nationwide
Justice of the Court of Appeal and Judge – In-Charge of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), Her Ladyship Justice Irene-Charity Larbi has said the ADR system for dispute resolution is yielding results.
Speaking at the launch of 2021 ADR Week in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital on Monday, November 8, 2021, Justice Irene Charity Larbi disclosed that from January to December 2020, a total of 5,455 cases were mediated under ADR.
“The Alternative Dispute Resolution system was introduced in 2005 as an intervention to ease pressure on the regular court system and create a platform that would offer disputants the opportunity to play a key role in resolving their disputes,” she disclosed.
She further said the ADR program has been extended to 131 courts nationwide with at least five (5) mediators assigned each.
From January this year to December 2020, a total of 5455 cases were mediated out of which 2,312 cases were settled, representing a 42% settlement rate. While 4,626 were referred from January to June 2021 out of which 1,941 settled representing 42% with 845 also referred back to court.
Justice Irene-Charity Larbi emphasized the enormous benefits of the ADR program to the country and individual disputants.
She stated that the High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2004 and the Court Act 1993 (Act 459) prescribed an amicable resolution of cases before the courts as the most innovative way by which justice can be done to disputants without delay.
Her Lady Justice Irene -Charity Larbi, therefore, encouraged all Ghanaians including lawyers to take advantage of the ADR programs to resolve cases.