The President of the Ghana National Association of ADR Practitioners (GNAAP), Mr Daniel Owusu-Koranteng, has urged Alternative Dispute Resolution graduates to be guided by truth, honesty, and professional ethics to promote peace in Ghana and the world at large.
He noted that conflict resolution was a complex human activity which required patience, impartiality and courage to ensure that justice was accessible to the people, including the poor and vulnerable in society.
Mr Owusu-Koranteng made the call over the weekend at the graduation of the 2022 batch of Professional Executive Master in ADR, at the Institute of Paralegal Training and Leadership Studies (IPLS), in Accra.
In all, 14 students were presented with Professional Executive Master Certificates in ADR after a 20-week training programme.
Mr Owusu-Koranteng said: “As you may have learnt as part of your professional studies, wherever there is human interaction, there is bound to be conflict.
“Your experience as Professional ADR Practitioners is relevant in the church, mosque, at the workplace, family and business.”
Mr Owusu-Koranteng said as Ghana was set to become the Centre of Excellence for ADR practice in Africa, professional training of ADR practitioners should be the foundation for this leadership role of Ghana in the peace building initiatives for Africa.
“As ADR professionals, you have been trained to believe in the power of ADR to offer cost-effective, fast and lasting conflict resolution opportunity than the adversarial court adjudication system.
“You are required to put issues of honesty and ethical principles above tribal, religious, cronyism, financial and sometimes emotional considerations, which affect the important professional principles of neutrality and confidentiality of the mediator,” he said.
Mr Owusu-Koranteng noted that, “I believe that you are aware that after meeting the statutory requirements, GNAAP was duly registered as a professional body in accordance with the provisions of the Professional Bodies Registration Decree, 1973 (NRCD 143) on January 17, 2022.”
He urged members of GNAAP to operate in accordance with the Professional Bodies Decree, 1973 (NRCD 143).
BY NORMAN COOPER
