Businesses with protracted cases at the courts can now seek redress at an Alternative Dispute Resolution, (ADR) Center that has been created by the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI).
This follows complaints by businesses about the slow and stressful legal process in resolving commercial disputes.
The ADR center is to provide an immediate and local seat of mediation for businesses that are unable to get their disagreements resolved on time at the conventional courts.
Alternative Dispute Resolution ADR is basically a form of resolving disputes without resorting to the law court and includes methods such as arbitration, negotiation and mediation which complements the traditional justice system.
The Center is a partnership between the GNCCI and law firm, Gamey & Gamey.
Speaking to Citi Business News after the two partners signed a Memorandum of Understanding, President of the GNCCI, Nana Dr. Appiagyei Dankawoso I expressed confidence, the move will complement the government’s efforts at providing an enabling environment for the private sector.
“Business disputes will always be with us as long as we remain in business, and the opportunity to have our business disputes resolved within the shortest possible time and with less cost, coupled with the maintaining of the cordial business relationships after the settlement, is what every business person is looking for.”
According to him, there has always been the desire of the Chamber and the entire business community to get an alternative to the rigorous, acrimonious and resource-consuming traditional court system in resolving business and commercial disputes.
“It is against this background that the Chamber has taken the step to establish an Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre within the Chamber to help our members and the entire business community to resolve their business disputes in a more cost-effective manner.”
Meanwhile Labour Analyst, Austin Gammey has asked business owners to opt for local mediation when signing contracts to have their disagreements resolved on time with little resources.