Accra: The Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Centre has issued a warning about the potential risks posed by unethical practices and unqualified service providers, which could undermine public confidence in alternative dispute resolution. The Centre emphasized the importance of maintaining high ethical standards among professionally trained ADR practitioners and urged them to expose any practices that might tarnish the reputation of the profession.
According to Ghana News Agency, Dr. Francis Kofi Korankyi-Sakyi, Executive Secretary of the ADR Centre, delivered this message during the graduation ceremony at the Institute of Paralegal Training and Leadership Studies (IPLS), held at the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), University of Ghana, Legon. He stressed that poor mediation practices have the potential to damage relationships and weaken trust in ADR. Dr. Korankyi-Sakyi highlighted the necessity of preserving high standards within the profession, underscoring that a recognized profession cannot thrive without them.
Dr. Korankyi-Sakyi expressed concern over the increasing number of individuals and institutions offering ADR services without the necessary professional competence, legal foundation, or ethical practice. He pointed out the prevalence of advertisements on social media promoting ADR courses of varying lengths, both online and in-person, and called for regulation to ensure proper practices.
The Centre has also noticed organizations presenting themselves as ADR centers without meeting professional requirements, conducting mediation training without recognized standards, and issuing certificates lacking adequate practical training. Dr. Korankyi-Sakyi stressed that professional training is essential for ADR practitioners, regardless of their academic qualifications, and warned that these practices threaten the profession's credibility.
To address these issues, Dr. Korankyi-Sakyi announced plans to launch a website allowing the public to verify recognized ADR institutions and practitioners, aiming to elevate the profession's respectability. He reiterated the Centre's mandate to ensure compliance with regulatory frameworks, promote excellence, and protect the profession's integrity while providing competent ADR services to the public.
The Centre plans to conduct regular inspections of ADR institutions and introduce a grading system to encourage adherence to professional standards, with the goal of helping institutions meet the required standards rather than closing them down.
During the ceremony, 124 students graduated with qualifications in Professional Executive Master in ADR (PEMADR) and Professional Executive Master in General Paralegal Studies (PEMGPS). The event was themed "Justice Beyond the Courtroom: The Options ADR and Paralegal Studies Could Offer."
Mr. Daniel Owusu Koranteng, President of the Ghana National Association of ADR Practitioners, urged the government to invest more in ADR processes and improve practitioners' conditions of service, highlighting the need to address structural issues within the practice. Meanwhile, Mr. Alex Nartey, Governor of IPLS, encouraged graduates to act as peace ambassadors and uphold the profession's ethical standards.