The Gamey and Gamey ADR Institute has held its 27th Graduation ceremony for its Professional Executive Master of Appropriate Dispute Resolution (PEM.ADR) Programme, with a call for the mainstreaming of ADR in organisational and governance structures to promote productive cooperation in organisations and communities.
“Let us mainstream ADR in organisations, workplaces, communities, and governance structures,” said Mr Austin Gamey, Chief Executive Officer of Gamey and Gamey Group in his welcome address at the ceremony in Accra on Saturday.
In that regard, he called on “institutions, corporate bodies, traditional authorities, educational establishments, and public agencies to invest in professional mediation services.”
The joint graduation and matriculation ceremony had the theme, “ADR and the future of justice delivery in Ghana. Thirty students who went through the 31-week course, were graduated to become certified ADR practitioners, while 48 new students were matriculated.
According to Mr Gamey, there was a need to enhance ADR practice in Ghana, particularly mediation to build a culture of dialogue in the country, stressing the need to strengthen court-connected mediation and empower insider mediators.
“We also call on the Attorney-General’s Department and the Judicial Service in promoting mandatory mediation for civil cases, by ensuring that at least 60 per cent of civil cases are referred to ADR, particularly mediation, for amicable resolution.
He applauded the appointment of an Executive Secretary for the National ADR Centre, in furtherance of the implementation of the ADR Act 2010, trusting that the establishment of the Centre would help to enhance the progress of Ghana’s ADR industry.
He congratulated the graduating class, and reminded them of the need to actively utilize their new skills and knowledge to act as agents of peace and ambassadors of ADR.
Justice Angelina Mensah-Homiah, an Appeal Court Judge and Judge-in-Charge of Court-Connected ADR, who was the guest of honour, announced that in the quest to promote ADR in the judiciary service, 100 more courts would be connected to ADR as part of the ongoing courthouse development initiative.
They will add to the current 138 courts nationwide, consisting 35 Circuit and 103 District Courts that have active ADR units and assigned mediators.
She explained that courts that are currently not connected to ADR are also being encouraged to refer cases to ADR units in nearby courts to aid settlement.
She gave the assurance that the Judicial Service would continue to invest in ADR because of the significant role ADR is playing in reducing the backlog of cases and also producing amicable resolution of court cases, adding that over 70,000 court cases have been resolved through ADR in the last decade.
Touching on the theme, Justice Mensah-Homiah indicated that ADR is no long an experiment, but now central to justice delivery in Ghana, adding that the Judicial Service continues to adopt various means to mainstream ADR in the justice system, including mandatory mediation processes for civil and commercial cases.
She congratulated the graduating class and encouraged them to assist in promoting professionalism in the ADR practice.
“You are graduating at a time when ADR central to justice delivery, and therefore be ready offer your skills and services to help parties achieve amicable settlement of their disputes,” she told the graduands.
She 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.
For over two decades, the Gamey and Gamey ADR Institute has committed itself to building a critical professional mass of mediators, negotiators, arbitrators, and conflict management experts, and has so far trained over 680 ADR professionals across sectors.
Dr Fidelis Patrice Seddoh, a Commissioner at the National Labour Commission, who chaired the event, commended the Institute for the expansion of the its training programme over the years and its significant contribution to the development of the ADR industry in Ghana.
Mrs. Lizzy-Pearl Addison, the president of the cohort, in her address, thanked the Institute and the facilitators for the skills and knowledge transferred to them, adding that the application of the skills and tools, including the PULSE frame, has enabled us to approach disputes with confidence, empathy, and professionalism, and to practice as “Impartial Mediators.”
She said they were mindful that the graduation “marks the beginning of our commitment to promoting peace, justice, and reconciliation in our communities and beyond,” and gave the assurance that would apply what we have learned with integrity, humility, and dedication.
