ADR Week Celebration Commenced

Her Lordship, Justice Mrs. Georgina Theodora Wood, Chief Justice of Ghana Justice Marful-Sau, the Judge in charge of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) said the Judicial Service has implemented various programmes to sensitise judicial officers, staff, as well as the general public on the need to use ADR in resolving disputes. He added that the Judicial Service has organised a number of training programmes for Mediators as well as ADR Officers to effectively act as neutral, with the support of donor partners. Justice Marful-Sau made this known today at a press briefing in Accra. He noted that ADR plays a significant role in the adjudicatory process of the commercial court, where cases go through Mediation. Speaking on the theme; 'ADR Mainstreaming �The Collective Responsibility of All in the Judicial Service'', Justice Marful-Sau stated that the Alternative Dispute Resolution was institutionalised as part of Ghana's justice delivery system in August 2005. 'According to the 2007-2008 Annual Report of the Judicial Service, a total of 926 cases were referred to Mediation within Magistrate Courts in Accra with 387 cases settled,' he added. According to Justice Marful-Sau, the vision of the Her Lordship, the Chief Justice, Mrs Georgina Wood is to extend the ADR Programme to all courts by 2013. He explained further that Her Lordship, in a policy directive dated 26th June 2009, has established a separate National ADR directorate to coordinate all ADR activities within the Judicial Service. 'The ADR Directorate shall be under the supervision of an Appeal Court Judge assisted by a Circuit Court Judge' he added. Judge Marful- Sau, therefore, thanked DANIDA, UNDP and GTZ for their immense contribution towards the development and implementation of the ADR court of the judicial service.