Ashaiman ADR settles 2,800 cases

Ashaiman, April 23, GNA - The Ashaiman branch of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Unit (ADRU) has, since its establishment in 2000, settled 2,800 out of 3,000 cases.

Child maintenance tops all the cases, having received 43 cases, Mr Gabriel Atsu, Mediator in charge of the Unit told the Ghana News Agency on Friday.

Other cases include disputed pregnancies mainly among teenagers, marital problems, rent issues, settlement of debts, quarrels among tenants and land disputes.

He said violence against women and husbands is gradually becoming alarming "because in most cases both men and women who are the perpetrators seem not to recognise that their act constitute a crime". Mr Atsu said most of the violence cases are the result of insufficient house keeping money and that such cases had been referred to the police based on the seriousness of the offence. He said since the inception of the ADRU, arbitration practitioners have had very good working relationship with like the Ashaiman/Tema Traditional Council, the Department of Social Welfare, the Police and the Women and Juvenile Unit.

"Members of the ADR are also happy to note that Ashaiman Community have been very cooperative and receptive.''

The Ghana Association of Chartered Mediators and Arbitrators established the ADR in Ashaiman with sponsorship from the Public Affairs Section of the United States Embassy in 2000.

The Arbitration Practitioners received legal training in Arbitration, Mediation and Negotiation and are manning four mediation centres in Ashaiman.