Strengthen ADR to reduce court backlog, improve access to justice – Prof. Asante

Nana Prof. Dr. Susubiribi Krobea Asante, a lawyer, constitutional expert and Paramount Chief of Asante-Asokore, has called for the strengthening of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms to help reduce the backlog of cases in Ghana’s courts, improve access to justice and promote lasting peace.

According to him, wider use of ADR—which includes mediation, arbitration and negotiation—would provide faster, less costly and less adversarial means of resolving disputes while allowing the courts to focus on more complex cases.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Nana Prof. Asante said the increasing reliance on ADR had already contributed to reducing the number of civil, commercial, and family disputes brought before the courts.

He noted that the growing backlog of cases continued to delay justice, with many litigants facing prolonged court proceedings, high legal costs and emotional stress.

“Alternative Dispute Resolution provides disputing parties with the opportunity to reach mutually acceptable solutions through dialogue and compromise without going through lengthy court processes,” he said.

Nana Prof. Asante explained that a stronger ADR system would improve the efficiency of Ghana’s justice delivery by enabling judges and court officials to devote more attention to constitutional and other complex legal matters.

“An effective ADR system would enable judges and court officials to focus on complex constitutional and other serious cases, thereby improving the efficiency of justice delivery,” he said.

He also highlighted the role of ADR in fostering social cohesion, saying the mechanism helped families, communities and business partners settle disputes amicably without damaging long-standing relationships.

According to him, ADR was particularly useful in resolving community disputes, where maintaining harmony and peaceful coexistence was critical.

Nana Prof. Asante called for intensified public education on ADR, stronger institutional support and the training of more mediators to make the mechanism more accessible and strengthen public confidence in the justice system.

He urged Ghanaians to embrace ADR as an effective and affordable means of resolving disputes, saying it had the potential to reduce litigation, ease pressure on the courts and promote lasting peace in communities.

Source: GNA