Daniel Owusu-Koranteng, President of GNAAP
President of the Ghana National Association of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Practitioners (GNAAP) Daniel Owusu-Koranteng has appealed to the government to invest in private ADR to create a robust legal regime in Ghana for dispute settlement.
Dr. Koranteng made this statement at the 10th GNAAP Conference in Accra.
He pointed out that, despite the enormous benefit Ghana has received from ADR the practice has not received the needed investment commensurate with the potential benefit to the nation.
“In spite of the numerous benefits in peace building, it has not received the necessary investment. Countries like the US and Singapore have reached a very high level of private practice through state investment in the training of highly qualified ADR professionals (neutrals),” he said.
Dr. Koranteng further noted that, “We as ADR practitioners are calling on the government to invest in private ADR Practice and promote private ADR Practice in Ghana so that we become the ADR hub for the West African Sub-region and Africa,” he added.
Additionally, he urged the government to improve the remuneration of ADR professionals to attract them to court-connected ADR practice.
“Ghana stands to reap enormous benefits from investment in private ADR practice. This will move Ghana to become the Singapore of Africa in terms of ADR professional practice” he added.
Her Lordship, Justice Margret Welbourne explained that practitioners must create awareness of the nature of ADR’s procedure in order to attract the interest of the general public and the business community.
“The conversation on the importance of ADR practice in our part of the world should be put into a Ghanaian context. This will make it relatable and understandable by the SMEs who constitute the majority of the business community in the country,” she said.
At the end of the conference a total of 50 inductees were admitted into the Ghana National Association of ADR Practitioners (GNAAP).
By Prince Fiifi Yorke