Mr Muntaru Farihan, Assistant Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Officer of Legal Aid Commission in the Upper East Region, says ADR, especially mediation, is the new norm in resolving issues.
Mr Farihan said except for criminal offences, ADR must be the first option to take in resolving disputes, especially as people no longer wanted to litigate because of high cost and going to court was time-consuming.
He, therefore, urged the public to use it as a first option to resolve disputes.
He said it was open to everybody, rich or poor, and encouraged people to use the process because it was voluntary and provided a platform for one to talk to an expert who would help, depending on the nature of the case.
“Mediation is a potent tool towards dispute resolution and has the power to reach a resolution because power belongs to the people and the parties unlike the law courts”, the Assistant ADR Officer stressed and added that such parties were allowed to vent their emotions for peace to return to homes and improve relationships”.
Mr Farihan gave this advice in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region.
On some successes chucked in the Upper East region, he said 50 mediation cases were resolved last year and in 2022, three had successfully been achieved involving land, maintenance and relationship cases in the Bolgatanga Municipality.
“We want people to solve their problems, have a resolution that suits all parties and for parties to still have a good relationship”.
He advocated the need to continue to engage communities to understand ADR issues.
Speaking on challenges, he noted that the process of Legal Aid in terms of how it assists in mediation cases, especially in ADR mediation required a scale-up of its operations for its presence to be felt in all the districts in the region to handle mediation cases.
He said the commission had no financial ability to rent offices and depended on District and Municipal Assemblies to help with office space.
“Only the Bolgatanga and Bawku Municipalities, Bongo and Zebilla in the Bawku West District had offices”.
“Every district should have a mediation office for cases to be handled there, as we are currently overwhelmed with cases”.
Meanwhile, he lamented the inadequate number of lawyers in the region and stressed that only two lawyers served in the region.
The Legal Aid Commission is expected to ensure equality of access to justice and fair treatment before the law by serving as a public defender to people, especially the poor.
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