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The adoption of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in the country’s justice system is to ensure that justice was delivered to all manner of persons in a timely and cost effective manner.

It is therefore important for all to accept and embrace ADR as an effective mechanism to resolve disputes in order to reduce delays and high costs associated with the traditional court system.

Her Ladyship Justice Irene Charity Larbi, Justice of the Appeals Court In-charge of the ADR Mechanism of the Judicial Service, stated this at the launch of 2020 ADR’s week at Dunkwa-On-Offin, in the Denkyira East Municipality of the Central Region.

This year’s week-long programme is under the theme “Making our Courts user friendly through the use of ADR”.

Activities to mark the week includes mass mediation of cases at all the 131 ADR connected courts across the country, nationwide media engagement on ADR by Coordinators/Judges, sensitization of Judges, lawyers and court officials on ADR, as well as a visit to 17 ADR courts to access the performance of the courts.

Her Ladyship Justice Larbi pointed out that, the courts could only be said to be friendly when the adjudication processes were expeditious, devoid of unnecessary expenses and ensured that as far as possible, all matters in dispute between parties were completely, effectively and finally determined.

She said excessive delays and high cost often made it difficult for many people to access justice in the traditional courts.

Justice Larbi pointed out that the ADR mechanism which mainly used mediation to resolve disputes, created a friendly atmosphere for parties to open up and exchange information to settle whatever differences they had, amicably.

Her Ladyship Justice Larbi, announced that, from January to December 2019, a total of 6,209 cases were brought under the ADR mechanism.

Out of this, 3,041 cases, representing 49 per cent were settled.

She said ADR offered financial and emotional relief to the parties concerned, adding that, the neutrality of the mediators in ADR aided the parties to clarify issues for the benefit of the interested parties.