President for the Ghana National Association of Alternative Disputes Resolution Practitioners (GNAAP), Mr Daniel Owusu-Koranteng, has urged that government establishes an ADR Centre as directed in Section 115 (1) of the Alternative Disputes Resolution Act 798, 2010.
GNAAP is a regulatory body of ADR professionals (mediators, arbitrators, negotiators, conciliators, customary arbitrators) in Ghana and incorporated under the Companies Code, 1963 (Act 179) as amended in the Companies Act, 2019 (Act 992), as a private company limited by guarantee, on 27th May 2014.
Its members include lawyers, chiefs, queen mothers, Members of Parliament, business executives, teachers, engineers, security experts among others.
Daniel Owusu-Koranteng registered the appeal at the 2022 Mandatory Continuing Professional Development Workshop (MCPDW) in Accra, dubbed, “Practical Approaches To ADR Practice.
Mr. Koranteng believes with the growing effectiveness of ADR as an significant development for the speedy, peaceful, and cost-effective resolution of cases through the Court-Connected ADR system, the government should promote ADR practice in Ghana.
He added it could be achieved by training of ADR professionals, creation of facilities for ADR practice and providing adequate remunerations to ADR practitioners.
According to him, it would attract and retain a high calibre of ADR professionals for Court-Connected ADR practice.
Mr Owusu-Koranteng explained, “The call is for government to invest in the development of facilities for the promotion of ADR for Ghana to become the ADR Hub for Africa; because Ghana is well known globally for its contribution to peace-building in the West Africa sub-region, Africa and at the global front,” he underscored.
He stressed on GNAAP’s readiness to partner with the state agencies that were required to use ADR tools in the performance of their functions such as Land Commissions, National Labour Commission, Ghana Investment Promotion, Judiciary Services, Legal Aid Commission, Department of Social Welfare, Ghana Police and DOVVSU Department.
There are Some 39 students graduated with Professional Executive Masters in Alternative Disputes Resolution (PEMADR) and 6 students graduated in General Paralegal Studies (GPS).
These 45 graduates were inducted into the ADR and the paralegal fraternity after going through 12 weeks online and 20 weeks of weekend classes to acquire knowledge in the ADR and Paralegal studies.
Her Worship (Rtd) Johanna Abena Yankson who graced the induction ceremony lauded the graduates for their sacrifice and willingness in learning the ADR and Paralegal profession.
She noted the new ADR/Paralegal practitioners were neither lawyers nor judges adding, “Always remember the ethics of the practice that you were taught and aspire for high integrity.”
