Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie has stressed the need to integrate technology into Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism to expand access to justice delivery and efficiency.
He said the adoption of digital tools could facilitate virtual mediation sessions, and thereby allowed disputing parties to participate in mediation, regardless of their geographical locations.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie said this when he launched the ADR Week in Sunyani, saying that evolving technological connectivity in society required the justice institution to adopt innovative approaches towards dispute resolution.
The ADR week scheduled between Monday, March 16 and Friday, March 20, 2026, is on the theme: “Adoption of Innovation and Technology to Enhance Access to Justice Delivery through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)”.
It offers an opportunity for the ADR Directorate of the Judicial Service to engage the public and intensify awareness of creation about the availability and benefits of ADR, allowing the public to explore settlement through mediation.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie noted that digital systems could support case management, scheduling and communication and reduce delays, as well as improving the overall efficiency of the dispute resolution process.
He said for people in rural communities, the integration of technology into ADR systems could significantly reduce barriers to justice by enabling individuals to access dispute resolution services regardless of their location.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie said the growing use of ADR nationwide reflected increasing confidence of litigants, legal practitioners, and judicial personnel in the system, disclosing that 7,324 cases were referred to ADR nationwide in 2025.
He said 2,195 of those cases were successfully settled.
Justice Angelina Mensah-Homiah, a Justice of the Court of Appeal, and Judge in charge of ADR, explained that the introduction of technology in the ADR process would address the challenges of delays, high litigation costs, and adversarial outcomes in the justice delivery system.
She said the Judicial Service, through the e-justice initiative, was improving physical access to courts and urged legal practitioners to embrace ADR, saying that the mechanism enhanced professional reputation too.