Apostle Professor Joseph Ignatius Teye Buertey, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Science and Computing at Pentecost University, has charged paralegals and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) practitioners to uphold the highest ethical standards in the justice delivery space.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony of 138 students of the Institute of Paralegal Training and Leadership Studies (IPLS) in Accra on Saturday, Prof. Buertey stressed that the nation’s quest for accessible justice depends heavily on skilled ADR and paralegal professionals who serve with integrity, compassion, and continuous learning.
The ceremony was held on the theme: “Justice Made Accessible: The Power of Skilled ADR and Paralegal Practitioners.” Prof. Buertey reminded the graduates that the modern justice system goes beyond the courts and increasingly relies on community-based mechanisms.
He noted that ADR has become one of the most transformative legal developments in the last 50 years, helping to resolve disputes that would otherwise drag in the courts for decades.
“Some construction cases have lasted 20 or 30 years in court, yet when taken through mediation, they were settled quickly. ADR is not just a spectrum of tools – mediation, arbitration, conciliation – it is now a vital pathway to peace, harmony and economic development,” he said.
He emphasised that access to justice remains a major challenge in Ghana, especially for the poor, rural communities and those who cannot navigate the complexity or cost of the court system.
“When justice is delayed, it is justice denied. Your role is to bridge the gap. The paralegal is the first responder, often the closest legal support a community can reach,” he said.
Prof. Buertey urged the graduates to embrace lifelong learning, quoting Mahatma Gandhi’s call to “learn as if you were to live forever” and reminded them of their duty to fairness.
He concluded with an appeal rooted in Scripture: “Seek justice, correct oppression… bring justice to those far from it. Ghana and the world are waiting for you.”
Founder of the Institute, Alex Martey, commended the graduates for their determination and reaffirmed IPLS’s commitment to producing competent ADR professionals.
He stressed that ADR must become the first option for dispute settlement in Ghana if the nation hopes to decongest its overwhelmed courts.
“The courts are choked. As people become more aware of their rights, disputes increase—but many of them are manageable through ADR. Until ADR principles are fully incorporated into our justice system, we can never have an efficient court structure,” he said.
Mr Martey said the almost 200 newly trained ADR practitioners would complement the existing workforce to expand access to justice across the country.
‘A Calling, Not Just an Academic Achievement’
Director of IPLS, Theresa Efua Brown, said the 138 graduates have undergone rigorous training in conflict resolution, ADR, family law, labour law, and related fields. She emphasised that the institute’s mission is to produce professionals committed to serving society.
“These students have seen this as their calling—not just an academic achievement. We expect them to go out there and administer everything we have taught them, solving issues wherever they find themselves.”
She added that the graduates completed programmes including Certificates in Foundation Conflict Resolution, Master of Alternative Dispute Resolution, Professional Executive Master in Industrial and Labour Law, and Professional Executive Master in Family Law and Conflict Resolution.
The event ended with a call for the graduates to become ambassadors of justice, ethical leadership, and specialised knowledge, core values the speakers said are essential to Ghana’s justice transformation.
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The post Paralegals Urged to Uphold Integrity, Expand Access to Justice appeared first on The Ghanaian Chronicle.
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