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By Benjamin Makafui Attipoe, Ho
A Justice of the Court of Appeal and the Judge in-charge of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) initiative, Her Ladyship Justice Angelina Mensah-Homiah has stated that the role of traditional authorities in the education of Ghanaians and the promotion of the court connected ADR programme cannot be over-emphasized.
According to her, the fact that Ghanaian eminent chiefs have used their rich experiences and years of expertise as traditional rulers to resolve very difficult cases across the country, means that their involvement in the initiative and its effective promotion can inure to the benefits of all Ghanaians.
Justice Mensah-Homiah made the observation at an ADR sensitization workshop for some selected chiefs from the Asogli Traditional Council and Area at Ho in the Volta Region.
The capacity building workshop formed part of activities marking the ADR week across the country scheduled from Monday, 24th through to Friday, 28th November, 2025. The ADR week is part of the annual work plan of the ADR Directorate and the Judicial Service’s policy to hold ADR Week each legal year to sensitize the public including all key stakeholders not only to embrace the initiative but also adopt it to bring finality to a lot of cases pending before the country’s courts.
This year’s programme which is under the theme, ‘Adoption of Innovation and Technology to Enhance Access to Justice Delivery through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)’, includes mass mediation by all courts across the country within the week with the help of trained mediators to clear some of the backlog of cases in the courts.
The Court of Appeal Judge, Justice Angelina Mensah-Homiah took the chiefs through the genesis of the ADR concept, its operation and benefits, the case of customary arbitration in the chief’s space and mediation under the ADR initiative where the parties consent to a signed agreement which is brought to the court to be adopted as consent judgment.
She also took the chiefs through the Plea Bargaining Act, Act 1079 where clients and the state can have their cases resolved either under a Charge bargaining, Sentence bargaining or Non-Prosecution bargaining options which are all legal or within the law.
Justice Mensah-Homiah reminded the chiefs that their role and expertise as traditional rulers in conflict resolution not only in simple matters but also very difficult cases cannot be over-emphasized. She therefore called on the chiefs not only to embrace the initiative but also encourage their subjects to adopt the policy in their daily lives and activities.
‘We don’t want people to waste money on litigation when the matter can be resolved through another means which is cheaper, safer, more convenient and time-saving’, Justice Mensah-Homiah stated. ‘Given the risk of commuting from court all the time, anything can happen so if the matter can be resolved peacefully, why put yourself at that risk’, the Court of Appeal Judge asked.
The Deputy Director in-charge of the ADR Directorate, Ms. Christiana Pourideme disclosed that with the advancement of technology in recent times, geographical boundary issues are no more a barrier to the ADR concept. According to her, ADR online is as good as sitting in person to do the mediation with the signed agreement always adopted by the court as consented judgment from the parties, assisted by the mediator.
The Dufia of Ho Ahoe who spoke on behalf of the chiefs, described the engagement as welcoming, timely and fruitful. Togbe Kasa III pledged his support and that of the chiefs to the ADR initiative and called on the citizens of the region to embrace the concept so as to reduce the backlog of cases that are delaying in the swift delivery of justice from the courts to the citizenry. Togbe Kasa III was also grateful to the Court of Appeal Judge for the honour done the chiefs of the Asogli State.
Her Ladyship Justice Angelina Mensah-Homiah was also accompanied to the workshop by the Volta and Oti Regional ADR Co-ordinator, Mr. Daniel Kofi Dorgbetor as well as a Senior High Court Registrar at Ho, Ms. Edith Atsu Masamasa.
Justice Mensah-Homiah has been touring the Volta and Oti Regions to sensitize the general public including stakeholders such as chiefs and queen mothers, church groups and religious organizations and their leaders as well as identifiable bodies on the ADR concept and the need to embrace it for its enormous benefits.
The post ‘The role of chiefs in the success and promotion of ADR cannot be over-emphasized’ – Justice Mensah-Homiah appeared first on The Herald ghana.
