Cape Coast settles 228 cases via ADR

About 288 cases transferred from the traditional courts since 2009 in Cape Coast have been settled through the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism.

Mr. Evans Abbeyquaye, the Regional ADR Coordinator, made this known on Tuesday in an interview with Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Cape Coast on Friday.

He said, in the year 2009, 162 cases were mediated and 97 were settled whilst in 2010, 97 cases were mediated with 71 settled.

Mr. Abbeyquaye said in 2011, cases mediated were 89, but the ADR was able to settle 60 and in 2012 of the 59 cases mediated, 25 were settled.

This year, 76 cases had been mediated from January to May, and 35 had been settled.

Mr. Abbeyquaye said, a case each was pending in 2010 and 2011, but in 2012, two cases were pending with about five pending from January to May this year.

They include landlord-tenant cases, debts, divorce, contracts as well as accident cases.

Mr. Abbeyquaye said the ADR office needed funds for rigorous public education campaign on its importance, therefore, used the opportunity to call on the government, organizations and individuals to assist the office with the needed funds to reach out to the public.

He advised litigants to see the ADR as a better option of settling their cases and always consider settlements there because unlike the traditional court settlement, it was faster, relatively cheap, and confidentiality could be assured.