The judicial service will soon connect 100 more courts to ADR as part of measures to expand its Court-Connected Alternative Dispute Resolution (CCADR) Programme to enhance effective justice delivery in the country.

Justice Angelina Mensah-Homiah, an Appeal Court Judge and Judge-in-Charge of Court-Connected ADR, who announced the plan, which is part of the ongoing courthouse development initiative, said the move is in furtherance of efforts to deepen access to justice in Ghana.

She announced this at the 27th Graduation and Matriculation Ceremony of the Gamey and Gamey ADR Institute’s Professional Executive Master of Appropriate Dispute Resolution (PEM.ADR) Programme in Accra on Saturday, February 28.

According to Justice Mensah-Homiah, the new courts will add to the existing 138 courts nationwide, comprising 35 Circuit Courts and 103 District Courts, that currently operate active ADR units with assigned mediators.

She explained that courts not yet directly connected to ADR are being encouraged to refer cases to mediators in nearby ADR-enabled courts to facilitate resolution.

Reaffirming the Judicial Service’s commitment to ADR, she noted that over 70,000 court cases have been resolved through ADR in the past decade, significantly reducing the case backlog and promoting amicable settlement of disputes.

Touching on the ceremony’s theme, “ADR and the Future of Justice Delivery in Ghana", Justice Mensah-Homiah emphasised that ADR is no longer an experiment but has become central to justice delivery in the country.

She highlighted ongoing initiatives within the Judicial Service to mainstream ADR, including mandatory mediation processes for civil and commercial matters. She congratulated the graduating class and urged them to uphold professionalism in their practice, reminding them that “you are graduating at a time when ADR is central to justice delivery, so be ready to offer your skills and services to help parties achieve amicable settlement of their disputes.”

Justice Mensah-Homiah commended the Gamey and Gamey ADR Institute for its immense contribution by producing highly qualified professionals for the ADR industry and promised more collaboration between the Judicial Service and the Institute in the training of mediators for the courts.

The ceremony marked the graduation of 30 professionals from diverse fields who completed the rigorous 31-week PEM. ADR programme, and were certified as ADR practitioners. In addition, 48 new students were matriculated to begin their professional training.

Mr. Austin Gamey, Chief Executive Officer of Gamey and Gamey Group, in his welcome address, called for the deliberate mainstreaming of ADR across institutions and governance structures.

“Let us mainstream ADR in organisations, workplaces, communities, and governance structures,” he urged.

He appealed to institutions, corporate bodies, traditional authorities, educational establishments, and public agencies to invest in professional mediation services, stressing that strengthening mediation practice would help build a sustainable culture of dialogue in Ghana.

Mr. Gamey further called on the Attorney-General’s Department and the Judicial Service to promote mandatory mediation for civil cases, recommending that at least 60 per cent of civil cases be referred to ADR, particularly mediation, for amicable resolution.

He also applauded the appointment of an Executive Secretary to the National ADR Centre, describing it as a positive step toward the full implementation of the ADR Act, 2010 (Act 798), and expressing confidence that the Centre would further strengthen Ghana’s ADR industry.

Congratulating the graduating class, Mr. Gamey encouraged them to actively apply their newly acquired skills and serve as ambassadors of peace and professional dispute resolution.

He noted that for over two decades, the Gamey and Gamey ADR Institute has focused on building a critical mass of professional mediators, negotiators, arbitrators, and conflict management experts, training more than 680 ADR professionals across various sectors.

Dr Fidelis Patrice Seddoh, a Commissioner at the National Labour Commission who chaired the event, commended the Institute for the expansion of its training programme over the years and its significant contribution to the development of the ADR industry in Ghana.

Speaking on behalf of the graduating cohort, Mrs. Lizzy-Pearl Addison, the class president, expressed gratitude to the Institute and its facilitators for the knowledge and skills imparted to them. She noted that the application of mediation tools, including the PULSE framework, had equipped them to approach disputes with confidence, empathy, and professionalism, enabling them to practise as impartial mediators.

She described the graduation as the beginning of a renewed commitment to promoting peace, justice, and reconciliation in their communities and beyond, assuring that the class members were committed to applying their skills with integrity, humility, and dedication.