The establishment of the Gamey and Co ADR Centre in Accra with the aim of providing quality Appropriate Dispute Resolution Services (ADR) has been hailed by the government, Judiciary, academia and business community in Ghana.
Launched on Saturday with the aim of helping to promote the mass adoption of ADR by Ghanaians, ADR analysts believe the establishment of the Centre would fill the void created by the absence of a national ADR Centre as required by the ADR Act 2010, Act 798.
While the Judiciary believes the Centre would effectively aid access to justice through the use of ADR mechanism, the government believes it would aid the effective resolution of communal and labour disputes to ensure national peace. The academia also trusts that the presence of the Centre offers an impetus for professional ADR training and practice.
Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo, launching the Centre at a well-attended ceremony in Accra, commended the Gamey and Gamey Group for the introduction of the Centre, which she described as an essential milestone in the growth of ADR in Ghana.
“The Judiciary welcomes the partnership of the ADR community and in particular that of the Gamey and Co ADR Centre in increasing access to justice especially for indigent communities.
She explained that the history of the various ADR mechanisms points to the desire of disputing parties to adopt a more friendly and convenient approach to resolving their disputes.
That is why I welcome the idea of establishing the Gamey and Co ADR Centre to create the needed platform and opportunity for institutions and individuals with disputes to utilize the services of the Centre.
“I hope this Centre will give disputing parties the convenience they desire. An ADR Centre must guarantee parties at least certain basic expectations. This includes integrity, confidentiality, an absence of conflict of interest, impartiality, ease of use and finally affordability in fees,” she said.
She noted that establishment of the Gamey and Co ADR Centre is an important landmark that investors and business people will hopefully consider in their assessment of the investment business climate in Ghana.
“The availability and ease of dispute resolution mechanisms as an indicator of a healthy and competitive investment business climate will be greatly enhanced by the establishment of this Centre,” Justice Akuffo added.
Mr Bright Wereko-Brobby, Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, in his address at the event, also lauded the establishment of the Centre, saying “I am delighted with the launch of the Gamey and Co ADR Centre as well as have a good story to tell about the positive effect of ADR on Ghana’s labour environment.”
He explained that over the years, ADR had been successfully implemented in resolving labour disputes.
“The peaceful industrial and labour front we are experiencing today can be attributed to the use of ADR principles in our tripartite deliberations and negotiations,” he said.
He expressed optimism that the GCADR Centre has systems and structures that would ensure quality service delivery and engender confidence with the parties who would benefit from the Centre.
Professor Kofi Quashigah, Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Ghana, for his part, recalled the advent of professional ADR in Ghana, citing the various training programmes held for stakeholder groups including policymakers, the judiciary and traditional leaders years ago towards the aim of encouraging them to accept the ADR concept.
Lauding the establishment of the new Centre, he described it as a crucial step in the sustainable progress of ADR in Ghana.
He was confident that the establishment of the Centre would spur the opening of more centres across the country, and the beginning of a mass adoption of ADR by Ghanaians as the first option for the resolution of disputes.
By Nii Adotey/adrdaily.com
