2,122 Cases Settled Countrywide Under ADR

By Faustina Kwabea Osei

Kumasi — A total of 176 cases, representing 54 per cent of the 332 cases recorded under Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in the Ashanti Region in 2018 have been settled.

Ninety-six cases are still pending while 68 cases have been referred to the court.

This came to light at the launch of the ADR week here in Kumasi on Monday.

Launching it, Justice of the Court of Appeal and Judge-in-charge of ADR, Justice Irene Charity Larbi, indicated that, overall, 2,122 cases, representing 51 per cent were settled out of a total of 4,148 cases in the country, in the year under review, stressing "this is very remarkable".

She noted that, ADR mechanism was a reliable partner to traditional justice delivery system which must be embraced by all and nurtured for quality justice delivery system in the country.

Justice Larbi stated that, the ADR programme had been extended to 131 courts with a total of 635 mediators trained across the country. He also stated that there are secretariats in all the regions to promote easy access to cheaper and expeditious justice delivery for the citizenry.

The National Coordinator of ADR, Alex Nartey, indicated that, ADR would continue to offer privacy and healthier methods and techniques of resolving disputes among families, neighbours and business associates among others, to enhance the positive maintenance of relationships.

Mr Nartey said ADR had come to stay given its existence since 2005, leading to a substantial reduction of backlog of cases due to mass mediation exercise by the ADR programme.

This year's celebration which is under the theme, "Application of ADR by the Courts, A Shared Responsibility for Quality Justice," is expected to create public awareness on the usefulness of the programme and also afford parties who have cases pending under the programme, the opportunity to have their cases settled.

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