The 12th edition of the annual Professional Mediation Training was on Monday opened at the Marian Conflict Resolution Center (MCRC) of the Catholic University of Ghana at Fiapre in the Sunyani West Municipality.
The MCRC is organising the five-day training to equip the 75 professionals, drawn from the academia, clergy, teacher associations, and the legal fraternity across the country with the requisite Alternative Dispute Mechanism (ADR) system.
Addressing the opening session held at the University’s main campus at Fiapre, near Sunyani, Dr Vida Korang, the Executive Director of the MCRC said the University was established in 2011 and had since trained 825 certified mediators and 60 arbitrators nationwide.
‘The professional mediation training idea was brought to bear because the Centre’s mission was to actively affect the ADR system and therefore it decided to train more professionals to become competent, certified and licensed mediators and arbitrators.’
‘They will support the relatively young ADR practic
e in Ghana at the time to help resolve conflict situations around us,’ she stated, and entreated the trainees to be more serious, acquire the requisite knowledge and skills and go back to help resolve conflict in society.
‘In the courts, we have connected ADR, and mediation can also be practice in our churches, workplaces, communities, in our families and anywhere conflicts thrive’, Dr Mrs Korang explained, adding ‘our individual and collective efforts from this part of the country since 2011, in the area of ADR practices has greatly contributed to the growth of ADR in country’.
She stressed the ‘agenda for 2024 professional mediation training covers a wide range of very interesting items relating to conflict and its resolution, which has especially been planned to help you appreciate the pain of people in conflict’.
Dr Mrs Korang lauded the recent establishment of the ADR Board of Governors in the country, saying that it would boast the practice of ADR.
Reverend Father Professor Peter Nkrumah Amponsah, t
he Pro-Vice Chancellor of the CUG,
‘Whenever humans gather and interact, conflicts emerge,’ the Reverend Professor Peter Nkrumah Amponsah, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the CUG stated, saying, ADR remained the traditional and best tool to resolve conflicts.
He advised the participants to take the course seriously and participate fully to gain the optimum benefit.
Mr Alex Nartey, the National ADR Coordinator, and a facilitator, commended the Center and expressed the hope that ‘every Ghanaian will have a feel of mediation training years to come.’
‘ADR makes a better human being,’ Mr Nartey stated and advised the participants to embrace themselves to learn new skills and network too.
Source : Ghana News Agency