The Judicial Service is set to significantly expand its Court-Connected Alternative Dispute Resolution (CCADR) programme nationwide by recruiting more professionally trained and certified mediators. This initiative aims to enhance justice delivery by improving the efficiency and effectiveness of dispute resolution outside of traditional court proceedings. The move was announced recently by Justice Angelina Mensah-Homiah, Judge-in-Charge of the CCADR Programme, following approval for the CCADR Secretariat to engage accredited practitioners.
Shifting Recruitment Strategy
This new recruitment strategy represents a notable shift from the previous approach, which involved training individuals after their recruitment to become court mediators. The updated policy prioritizes engaging mediators who already possess professional training and certification. This ensures a higher standard of expertise from the outset, bolstering the quality of mediation services offered through the courts.
Justice Mensah-Homiah highlighted the timely establishment of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Centre as a crucial development. The Centre now serves as the regulatory body for ADR practice and maintains a database of accredited practitioners. This database will be instrumental for the CCADR Secretariat in identifying and engaging qualified mediators, streamlining the recruitment process.
Enhancing Public Access and Standardization
The CCADR Programme is also focusing on improving public access to qualified dispute resolution professionals. Justice Mensah-Homiah urged the ADR Centre to develop a comprehensive national database of accredited ADR professionals, including mediators and arbitrators. This database will empower the public to easily find and engage certified professionals for their dispute resolution needs.
The growing expansion of ADR necessitates effective coordination and standardization to ensure consistency and professionalism across the sector. This is crucial for maintaining public trust and confidence in the ADR process. The Judicial Service recognizes the need for a unified approach to ADR practice.
Judicial Support for ADR
Provisions under the High Court (Civil Procedure) (Amendment) Rules, 2020 (C.I. 133), empower judges to mediate cases with the consent of the parties involved. To support this, Justice Mensah-Homiah called for enhanced training to equip judicial officers with the necessary mediation skills. This underscores the judiciary’s commitment to integrating ADR more deeply into the justice system.
Justice Kweku Tawiah Ackaah-Boafo of the Supreme Court, representing the Chief Justice, welcomed the establishment of the ADR Centre and its collaboration with the Judicial Service. He affirmed that the CCADR initiative has proven effective over the past two decades in reducing case backlogs and facilitating faster, amicable dispute resolutions.
ADR Centre’s Vision and Plans
Dr. Francis Kofi Korankye-Sakyi, Executive Secretary of the ADR Centre, outlined the Centre’s plans to enhance the ADR landscape. A national Practice Manual is being developed to standardize ADR procedures and elevate professionalism among practitioners, in alignment with the ADR Act, 2010 (Act 798).
Furthermore, a Legislative Instrument is being drafted to fully operationalize the Centre’s regulatory mandate. The Centre’s operations will be guided by three core principles:
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