Traditional Authorities have been entreated to revise their local court proceedings to conform to modernity and the laws of the land. This is to ensure that people feel confident about sending disputes to the local courts for arbitration. A high court judge Victor Ayimey, made the call during the celebration of the Judicial Service National Alternative Dispute Resolution Week in Cape Coast. The theme for the week-long programme is “Access to Justice through court connected, Alternative Disputes Resolution, ADR." The National ADR programme of the Judicial Service aims at offering parties in court, an opportunity to resolve their disputes by means other than courtroom trials.
Justice Ayimey noted that, the traditional court system involving chiefs played its role effectively in the past. He however identified the numerous cases before the law courts as a sign of lack of confidence in the local court system following some rigidity in their proceedings.
He therefore called on the traditional rulers to find modern and flexible ways of settling matters so that people can feel confident about sending their cases to their courts as they did in the past. He was hopeful that when this is done to compliment the law court system in backlog of cases in the courts will be a thing of the past.
The National Coordinator of ADR, Senyo Adjabeng explained that ADR is a voluntary process in which a neutral third party called a ugh direct talks with each other. He said the mediators ensure that both parties reach an agreement acceptable to them.
The mediator, unlike a judge does not decide the outcome of the dispute for the parties. Mr. Adjabeng said cases sent to ADR are settled within two hours no lawyer is needed and it saves time and money, adding that no winner emerges at ADR sittings.
