Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) has helped resolve about 70,000 cases in Ghana over the past ten years, easing pressure on the courts and improving access to justice, according to Professor Enyonam Canice Kudonoo, a lecturer at Ashesi University.
She highlighted the impact of ADR while addressing the graduation ceremony of 71 students from the Institute of Paralegal Training and Leadership Studies in Accra. The graduates completed programmes in Professional Executive Master in ADR and Professional Executive Master in General Paralegal Studies.
Speaking on the theme “Equipped for Justice and Service Through ADR and Legal Knowledge Among Non-Lawyers,” Prof Kudonoo said ADR mechanisms such as mediation and arbitration had significantly improved the affordability and accessibility of justice while reducing case backlogs in the country’s courts.
She urged the new graduates to use their expertise to promote peaceful conflict resolution and expand access to justice, especially for vulnerable and economically disadvantaged groups.
Prof Kudonoo also encouraged practitioners to adopt restorative justice approaches that rebuild trust and relationships between disputing parties, noting that confidentiality and neutrality remain key principles in the ADR process.
She further proposed the establishment of ADR desks in workplaces to help resolve conflicts amicably before they escalate into legal disputes.
The President of the Ghana National Association of ADR Practitioners, Daniel Owusu-Koranteng, advised the graduates to remain impartial and avoid behaviour that could undermine trust among disputing parties.
Similarly, Alex Nartey, Governor of the institute, encouraged the graduates to become job creators rather than job seekers and to uphold integrity in their professional practice.
The Institute of Paralegal Training and Leadership Studies, established in 2013, focuses on promoting ADR, human rights-based development, and leadership training, and has trained professionals from diverse fields across the country.
