CLEMENT AGBESI & 4 ORS. vs. G.P.H.A. [20/4/2007] H1/161/2006 [2007]DLCA6691

Date	2007-04-20
Suit No.	H1/161/2006
Citation No.	[2007]DLCA6691

AKAMBA J.A. PRESIDING.

ADDO JUSTICE OF APPEAL

QUAYE JUSTICE OF APPEAL.

S. KWAMI TETTEH AND NARTEY-TETTEH FOR APPELLANT.

A. ADAARE FOR RESPONDENT.

[2007]DLCA6691
																																						<div class="restriction-wrapper">
														<div class="container-lg">
															<div class="row">
																<div class="col-md-12 restricted-content">
																	<div class="restricted-content-img-wrapper">
																		<div class="lock-icon bounce-7">
																			<img class=""
																				src="https://www.dennislawgh.com/dl-assets/dl-images/lock-content.png"
																				alt="Subscription based content">
																		</div>
																	</div>
																	 
																		<a href="https://www.dennislawgh.com/login"
																		class="btn btn-primary btn-lg"
																		style="font-family: 'open sans'; text-transform: capitalize; border-radius: 8px"> 
																		Login to Read Full Case </a>
																	 
																	
																</div>
															</div>
														</div>
													</div>
													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >CLEMENT AGBESI &amp; 4 ORS.<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>G.P.H.A. [20/4/2007] H1/161/2006<o:p></o:p>[COURT
OF APPEAL ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

H1/161/2006&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;DATE: 20TH APRIL 2007<o:p></o:p>

A.
ADAARE FOR RESPONDENT.<o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;border:none;
mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>AKAMBA
J.A. <o:p></o:p>On 11th July 2003 a writ
was issued in the High Court Tema by the plaintiffs/respondents (hereinafter
referred as plaintiffs) against the Defendant/Appellant, Ghana Ports and
Harbours Authority by five named plaintiffs and 'others'.&nbsp; The writ was accompanied by an 'addendum to
writ' filed that same 11th July 2003.&nbsp;
The addendum stated that 'a full and comprehensive, detailed list of all
the plaintiffs will be supplied to the court subsequently'.&nbsp; The claims against the defendant were for: <o:p></o:p>"(a) Damages for the breach of
the provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the parties <o:p></o:p>© sic.&nbsp;
An award of compensation by the Court to the Plaintiffs to be paid by
the defendant for its illegal/unlawful conduct in keeping the Plaintiffs as
casual workers and breaching Plaintiffs economic rights under the 1992 Constitution
and also discriminating against the Plaintiffs contrary to the provisions of
the 1992 Constitution. <o:p></o:p>© An order that the same compensation
package given to various categories of permanent employees as compensation for
the severance of employment resulting from the same re-organization of the
defendant, be made applicable to the plaintiffs OR in the alternative an order
that the defendant negotiates with the plaintiffs the appropriate compensation
payable to the plaintiffs. <o:p></o:p>(f)&nbsp;
Interest on all sums found due and owing from the defendant to the
plaintiffs at the Commercial Bank rate from 1st October 2002 to date of
judgment. <o:p></o:p>(g)&nbsp;
Costs <o:p></o:p>The Defendant entered
appearance to the writ as it stood on 22nd July 2003.&nbsp; The High Court Tema after hearing evidence on
the claim entered judgment on 18th January 2006 in favour of the five named
original plaintiffs together with 4195 others as follows: <o:p></o:p>"(i) Five million cedis
(¢5,000,000) to each plaintiff as damages for breach of the Collective
Bargaining Agreement {CBA}; <o:p></o:p>(ii) Ten million cedis (¢10,000,000)
to each plaintiff for each year of service 'after the expiration of 154 days
continuous working' by the plaintiffs in the defendant's employment as
compensation for the illegal conduct of the defendant in keeping the plaintiffs
as casual workers, violation of the plaintiffs' economic rights and
discriminating against them contrary to the 1992 Constitution; <o:p></o:p>(iii) Severance Award comprising: <o:p></o:p>(a) Three months salary for each year
of service; <o:p></o:p>(b) ¢3,000,000 in lieu of rent; <o:p></o:p>(c) ¢2,000,000 for medicals; <o:p></o:p>(d) Two (2) bags of rice; <o:p></o:p>(e) Two (2) gallons of oil; <o:p></o:p>(f) Year 2001 bonus for those who
qualify; <o:p></o:p>(g) ¢1,500,000 'as conveyance fees'; <o:p></o:p>(h) Five (5) months salary as
handshake; <o:p></o:p>(i) 'Others' including long service
award whose value the court has not known but which the Parties to the suit
consider and know to be appropriate.; (j) Interest on all sums due to each
plaintiff at current commercial bank rate from 1st October 2002 to the date of
judgment. <o:p></o:p>(k) Ten million cedis (¢10,000,000)
costs." <o:p></o:p>The Defendant/Appellant
(hereinafter simply the defendant) against whom the judgment was awarded being
aggrieved by the aforementioned decision appealed to this court on seventeen
grounds listed in their notice of appeal filed on 2nd February 2006.&nbsp; By far the most important ground raised by
the appellants is the omnibus ground which alleges that the judgment is against
the weight of evidence since the remaining grounds particularize the
misdirections complained of.&nbsp; For ease of
reckoning I propose to deal with the grounds of appeal in the same sequence
adopted by the appellant. <o:p></o:p>Grounds
(i), (ii) and Additional Ground A <o:p></o:p>