DECONGESTING THE COURTS CHIEF JUSTICE PUSH FOR ADR TO RESOLVE CONFLICTS

The Chief Justice, Justice Sophia Akuffo, has called on Ghanaians to choose Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms as a means to resolve their disputes instead of litigation.

the chief justice was addressing participants at a forum to officially open this year ADR Week celebration in Accra.

Justice Sophia Akuffo expressed concern that Alternative Dispute Resolution, which is a much less expensive medium of resolving disputes that may arise between parties, has not really been the choice of justice seekers.

According to Justice Spohia Akuffo, the over dependence on the courts to litigate on issues has resulted in a choked court system full of litigations that could have otherwise been easily resolved through Mediation, Conciliation and Arbitration, which are all Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanisms.

As part of efforts to encourage the use of ADR, the Chief Justice announced that one hundred and seven courts throughout the country will be furnished ADR units

To this end, she charged judges who have ADR units attached to their courts to encourage litigants to use them.