i-law

International Construction Law Review

ARBITRATION IN GHANA—THE ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION ACT 2010

KWADWO SARKODIE

Senior Associate, Mayer Brown International LLP (London)

Ghana’s abundant growth potential1 is expected to attract and promote substantial levels of foreign investment over the coming years. This is likely to be matched, and perhaps exceeded, by domestic investment, not least as growing oil revenues are put to use. Much of this investment will be directed towards the significant modernisation, housing, energy and infrastructure projects which are planned or already underway.
This will significantly increase both the size and importance of Ghana’s construction industry. In a global economy, large-scale projects will very often involve contracting parties from multiple geographic locations and legal jurisdictions, particularly as contractors, consultants and funders around the world are attracted by the growth prospects and opportunities which Ghana offers.2 Such projects will entail complex, often multi-layered, contractual arrangements. All of these factors serve to bring into focus the importance of a clear, modern and robust framework for the arbitration of construction disputes.
Internationally, the importance of arbitration as a means of resolving construction disputes has long been recognised. However, this has not always been the case in Ghana. Whilst it is difficult to assess the prevalence of arbitration in Ghana (given the limited availability of reliable statistics), data for the year 20083 suggest that the number of domestic arbitrations may have been as low as seven. This bears out the anecdotal view within Ghana that arbitration is not a favoured method of dispute resolution, and that there is a preference for “the authority of a court judgment”.4
This may, however, be set to change. The past decade has seen concerted efforts by the Ghanaian government and other groups to investigate and promote alternatives to the courts for the resolution of disputes, including arbitration. This has culminated in the comprehensive updating and revision of the law governing domestic and international arbitration in


Pt 4] Arbitration in Ghana

467

The rest of this document is only available to i-law.com online subscribers.

If you are already a subscriber, click Log In button.

Copyright © 2024 Maritime Insights & Intelligence Limited. Maritime Insights & Intelligence Limited is registered in England and Wales with company number 13831625 and address 5th Floor, 10 St Bride Street, London, EC4A 4AD, United Kingdom. Lloyd's List Intelligence is a trading name of Maritime Insights & Intelligence Limited.

Lloyd's is the registered trademark of the Society Incorporated by the Lloyd's Act 1871 by the name of Lloyd's.