LAGOS – Mrs Roseline Umenduka, the President, Initiative for Conflict Control and Resolutions (ICCR), on Friday urged Nigerians to adopt Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in conflict management.
Umenduka made the appeal while delivering a lecture titled, “Alternative Dispute Resolution Processes: Technology for Crises Management,” at Supreme Plaza, Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the lecture was part of the activity to mark the induction of 20 new officers of ICCR.
She said that the processes of ADR ensured that disputing parties maintained their relationship, during and after their conflicts were resolved.
Umenduka noted that parties, who chose to resolve their cases in the open court, could become sworn enemies during and after the conclusion of the case.
According to her, such people should embrace ADR, where a win -win situation is guaranteed.
“We are all used to litigation in courts, but litigation with all its achievements have not been able to offer the best solution to resolving disputes.
“No two persons would go to court and remain friends. Litigation leads to strains in relationships, “she said.
The president said that ICCR was a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) with a vision to promote peace and peaceful coexistence in the society.
“We have a mandate to nip conflicts in the bud, without allowing them to degenerate into violence. At ICCR, our primary assignment is to win peace and overcome war,” she said.
She said that ADR had been in existence for more than 100 years and had been effectively used in the resolution of conflicts all over the world.
“ADR uses mediation, negotiation, arbitration, reconciliation and conciliation in the process of conflict management.
“With ADR, the speed with which matters are resolved is significant. ICCR is a platform that can be used for mediation.
“When cases are settled out of court, one can still come to ICCR and appropriate personnel are drafted to handle such cases.
“The goal is to achieve a win-win situation,” the president said. (NAN)