The Executive Secretary of the National Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Centre, Dr. Francis Kofi Korankye-Sakyi, has critiqued individuals and media houses which practice Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) without professional certification or ethical grounding.
Speaking at the 13th Annual Conference of the Ghana National Association of ADR Practitioners (GNAAP), Dr. Kofi Korankye-Sakyi described the rise of “charlatanism” as a direct threat to the integrity of Ghana’s justice system.
“Individuals who hold themselves out as ADR practitioners without requisite training, certification, and ethical grounding undermine public confidence and weaken the very system we have all worked hard to build,” he stated.
According to Korankye-Sakyi, the primary concern involves the growing trend of radio and television stations hosting live “dispute resolution” shows where social issues are discussed and solutions found.
Dr. Korankye-Sakyi revealed that the Center recently issued cautionary statements to several media houses for conducting sessions that bypass professional ADR ethics.
According to him, the fight against unprofessional practice has gained significant momentum with the support of the Judiciary as the Chief Justice has pledged full cooperation to “weed out” unqualified practitioners.
“When I met the Judicial Service, they gave the assurance to collaborate and cooperate with us. Chief Justice assured us to weed out these charlatans in the system,” he noted.
While the Center is prepared to take regulatory action to sanitize the industry, the Executive Secretary emphasized that the burden does not rest on the regulator alone.
He called for high levels of vigilance and integrity from professional bodies like GNAAP, which has been at the forefront of promoting professional standards since its establishment in 2013.
“The Center will not hesitate to take appropriate steps to sanitize the practice, but this is not a task of the regulator alone,” he said urging practitioners to protect the sanctity of their profession.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
