The President of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators Dr. Agada Elachi FICMC, FCIArb (UK), has said that the institute is providing a Volunteer Mediator Scheme to members of the general public.Dr. Elachi, who disclosed this on the 11th day of June, while delivering his remarks as the Chief Host of the Launch of the Volunteer Mediator Scheme which held at Dele Oye Hall, Umaru Yar’adua Express Way Airport Road, Abuja, said the essence of the scheme is to promote access to Justice.

Dr. Agada stated that the Volunteer Mediator Scheme (VMS) has been designed to avail members of the Institute practice opportunities. He stated further that in addition to the mandate to standardize practice and expand the frontiers of the practice of mediation in Nigeria and Africa, the scheme will offer a platform for the speedy and at no cost resolution of small claims disputes for the business community, as well as matters bordering on domestic disputes and interpersonal conflicts. He urged development partners and relevant stakeholders to support this initiative.

“As an Institute that has acquired the reputation for being the foremost professional body of Mediation Practitioners in Nigeria, Dr. Elachi stated that Institute is recognized as the platform for the delivery of quality training and regulation of the practice of mediation and conciliation in Nigeria. To this end, the Institute launched its five-year Strategic Action Plan (SAP) on the 29th day of April, 2021.”

He explained further that “the Volunteer Mediator Scheme would also be a vehicle for delivery corporate social responsibility (CRS) by the Institute to our society, which is at this time greatly fragmented by conflict and disagreements. Dr. Agada Elachi advised members of the public particularly the indigent to utilize the scheme so as to promote access to justice.

“The VMS implementation committee, which is headed by Dr. Brown Ogbeifun, past president of the Institute, was inaugurated in May 2021. The mandate of the committee is to develop the framework for the operation of the Scheme, and its implementation across the country in conjunction with Branch representatives.

“The scheme will among other benefits provide our members especially young mediators with the opportunity to practice and hone their skills and deploy same for the benefit of the less endowed of society. He encouraged members to apply through the leadership of the branch to participate in the scheme,” he said.

He congratulated the Executive Committee of ICMC Abuja led by Ms. Rosemary Chikwendu and the entire members of the branch for their pioneer role in the launch the Volunteer Mediator Scheme (VMS).

He further mentioned that ICMC Abuja Branch is the first branch to operationalize the scheme