Port Harcourt Lawyer Calls For Adoption Of ADR

Military deserters arrested by the police and paraded in Port Harcourt, yesterday.

A Port Harcourt-
based lawyer, Barr. Jackson Assor, has called for the adoption of Alternative Dispute Resolution to reduce the influx of cases to courts in Rivers State.
Barr. Assor, who wa speaking at  a forum organized by ADR practitiones in Port Harcourt at the weekend noted that despite the benefits of ADR, litigants had continued to go for adjudication.
He said ADR also included arbitration, mediation and conciliation which help to resolve disputes speedily.
According to him , “ADR is better for trade disputes instead of adjudication which estranges parties, Nigerians are yet to explore the benefits of ADR Many countries of the World have embraced ADR.”
Barr. Assor also remarked that matters which could not be handled by ADR practitioner were referred to the courts.
He explained that the embracing of ADR would help to facilitate the resolution of conflicts and save litigants time and money.
The Port Harcourt lawyer also noted that the decision reached at the ADR were binding on the parties.
He said the recognition  of ADR in the state would help both the litigants and the society in general.
According to him, “Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) has helped to reduce the stress faced by litigants at the courts. Some matters last as much as ten years or even more but with ADR it is easier and faster.”
Barr. Assor also stated that though ADR was relatively new in the country, it was making tremendous impacts in the country.
He called on all to embrace ADR.

Chidi Enyie