ACCRA – GHANA is said to be paying millions of dollars to international lawyers to undertake mediations between the country and business entities internationally.
Analysts said such funds could have been saved had the country engaged the services of local Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) professionals to handle these mediations.
A Chief State Attorney and Director of Ligation Unit at the Attorney-General’s Department, William Kpobi disclosed this at the closing ceremony of Professional Executive Master of ADR organised by the Gamey and Gamey Academy of Mediation in Accra.
“With increasing trade and partnerships between and among parties in business and across wide geographical locations, ADR has also come to be associated with providing avenues for the speedy resolution of business and other commercial disputes,” he argued.
He said while Ghana seemed to have some relative control over the resolution of dispute within the social circles, disputes of commercial nature especially international commercial disputes had dominated the news with respect to the use of ADR.
Among these is the case involving the Ghana, which had been sent for arbitration at the various arbitration institutions around.
Kpobi, who was the guest speaker at the graduation ceremony, said it was “obvious” Ghana was yet to be an attractive centre for the resolution of international commercial disputes.
“We are aware that Act 798 provides for the establishment of a National ADR Centre. What is needed is the necessary leadership and partnership from institutions like Gamey and Gamey on how best to execute that mandate. The successful practice and development of ADR in Ghana is hinged on the availability of trained practitioners.
“It is in this vein that the Gamey and Gamey need to be congratulated to their consistency in training ADR practitioners for more than a decade,” Kpobi said.
In an address, the Chief Executive Officer of Gamey and Gamey Academy of Mediation, Austin Gamey, appealed to the Ministry of Justice and Attorney-General’s Department to consider establishing a specialised ADR Department with well trained professional ADR practitioners to help the country overcome numerous “judgement debts” in the country.”
“The need to establish the National ADR Centre is now urgent, and Gamey and Gamey stands ready to assist the AG’s Department to achieve this objective.
“The ADR Act 2010, Act 798 imposes on the Attorney General and Minister of Justice the responsibility to oversee its establishment. It is now an acceptable fact that in Ghana the ADR approach to the resolution of conflicts is a workable option,” said Gamey.
– CAJ News
This article has 0 comment, leave your comment.