The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), through its Nigerian Branch, officially inaugurated a Ghana Chapter on Tuesday, 1 November 2022. Justice Nene Abayateye Ofoe Amagatcher delivered the keynote address. He recounted to the audience how Chief Christopher Adebayo Ojo and many others, including himself, had originally wanted to start this back in 2011.
He discussed several instances where varied efforts made by numerous people to bring CIArb to Ghana had been derailed. He expressed his intense satisfaction at witnessing the realization of this dream even if it takes more than a decade.
As a non-profit association of Alternative Disputes Resolution (ADR) specialists, CIArb has 42 branches spread throughout all continents over 150 jurisdictions with more than 17,000 professionals and 10,000 students as members. The Nigerian branch has four chapters including Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, and the recently opened Ghana chapters.
The Ghana Chapter as stated in Rule 15.3 of Regulations of the CIArb, 2019 is necessary to promote and represent CIArb throughout Ghana, provide localized networking opportunities and also conduct technical activities, training courses, and assessments on behalf of the Nigerian Branch.
The launch which took place at the Holiday Inn, Accra Airport Hotel began promptly at 9:00 am. The ceremony had distinguished personalities such as the keynote speaker, His Lordship, Justice Amegatcher, the Deputy Attorney-General of Ghana, Hon Diana Asonaba Dapaah, the Chairman of CIArb Nigerian branch, Chief J.A . Akingbola Akinola, the President of the African Arbitration Association (AfAA) Chief Bayo Ojo, and many ADR professionals and students.
It is this writer’s hope that someday, the Ghana chapter would attain the title of the branch with chapters located in all sixteen regions of Ghana. That she someday lives in a world where ADR mechanisms such as arbi8tratin would no longer be referred to as alternative but as primary and preferred as stated new chair of the interim steering Committee, Nania Owusu-Ankomah(Mrs) stated at the inauguration.
Until then, this inauguration is a step in the right direction and a beacon of hope to all ADR practitioners in Ghana.
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