The Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) directorate of the Judicial Service of Ghana have held an extensive training on Court Connected Alternative Dispute Resolution (CCADR) for Judges, Magistrates, and Mediators in the Central Region.

As sanctioned by the Chief Justice of the country, the Judicial Service of Ghana from Monday, March 18 to Friday, March 22, 2024, had the period earmarked as ADR Week across the nation on the theme: "Building the Pillars of Justice Through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)."

The activity filled week-long celebration, had the elaborated CCADR workshop, enshrined as part of the undertaken activities for this year's ADR Week held in the Central Region.

This witnessed Judges, Magistrates, Court Staffs and over 60 Mediators from all seventeen (17) ADR connected courts in the Central Region, partake in the intriguing refresher course on CCADR.

Alex Nartey Esq, Director for ADR in an interview with Sompa News Eric Annan at the climax of this year's ADR Week, recounted the Judicial Service of Ghana to be now operating a multi-door court system, being litigation and ADR.

He noted the aim of the ADR Week activities to serve as a medium through which the Ghanaian citizenry will be made aware of the existence of ADR in the country's court system, as workshops during this period are held for Judges, Magistrates, Court Registrars, Mediators, and other members of the court.

During this period, he stressed that most cases of the court are referred to be settled by ADR (known as the mass mediation exercise), which sort to aid disputants access the work of the ADR comparative to that of litigation.

The ADR Director further added that as many as 136 courts across the nation were involved in the mass mediation exercise during this year's ADR Week, as mediators are expected to receive as many cases as disputing parties will agree to be referred.

He again revealed that Judges and Magistrates in Cape Coast were held in a day workshop on the newly enacted ADR law (i.e. CI 133 and CI 134) to enhance their knowledge on how to work with the new law under ADR in their pursuit for expedite and amicable case resolution.

Mr. Alex Nartey encouraged disputants who desire to have their cases settled through ADR to first file a case in court and prompt the judge in charge of the case to refer the matter to ADR the very day the case will be called for hearing.

Other activities undertaken during this year's ADR Week include, a nationwide media engagement on ADR, sensitization of court users in all CCADR courts across the country, sensitization of Judges, Magistrates, Staffs and Mediators involved in the CCADR programme, and engagement with Heads of Institutions.

Sompaonline.com/Eric Annan