MUSAH ABDULAI & 21 ORS (PLAINTIFFS/APPELLANTS) vs. ASHANTI GOLDFIELDS COMPANY LTD. OBUASI [2015]DLCA8331

MUSAH ABDULAI & 21 ORS (PLAINTIFFS/APPELLANTS) vs. ASHANTI GOLDFIELDS COMPANY LT... [2015]DLCA8331

Date	2015-05-10
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEALNO.:H1/15/2015
Citation No.	[2015]DLCA8331

E. K. AYEBI J.A. (PRESIDING)

G. TORKORNOO(MRS) J.A

A. M. DOMAKYAAREH (MRS) J.A

DIANA ESSIEN FOR THE PLAINTIFFS/APPELLANTS

ANTHONY DESEWU KUJAWU FOR THE DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT

[2015]DLCA8331
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >MUSAH ABDULAI &amp; 21 ORS<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFFS/APPELLANTS)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>ASHANTI GOLDFIELDS COMPANY LTD.
OBUASI<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, KUMASI]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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CIVIL APPEALNO.:H1/15/2015&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: 10TH MAY, 2015<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>DIANA ESSIEN FOR THE PLAINTIFFS/APPELLANTS <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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ANTHONY DESEWU KUJAWU
FOR THE DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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E. K. AYEBI J.A. (PRESIDING), G. TORKORNOO(MRS) J.A, A. M. DOMAKYAAREH (MRS) J.A<o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>DOMAKYAAREH (MRS),J.A.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
An
employer/employee relationship went sour and this has culminated in this appeal
before this court.&nbsp; The appeal is againstthe
judgment of the High Court, Kumasi entered against the defendant/respondent
herein dated 7th July 2014.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>BACKGROUND
AND FACTS OF THE CASE:<o:p></o:p>The
Plaintiffs/Appellants Case:<o:p></o:p>The plaintiffs/appellants, twenty-two(22) in number averred
that they were former employees of the Defendant/Respondent Gold Mining Company
at Obuasi.&nbsp; They said:<o:p></o:p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
they
were employed as underground workers sometime in April 1995.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
that
on 15th December 1997, the defendant/respondent addressed letters to
them to the effect that they were in casual employment for three months and
that their appointments would be terminated on 24th December, 1997
and accordingly terminated their appointments on the said date. &nbsp;<o:p></o:p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
that
contrary to the letter claiming that they had worked for three months they had
actually worked for the defendant/respondent company for three years and eight
months.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
That
their appointments were terminated without any formal notice to that effect or
any payment in lieu thereof.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The plaintiffs/appellants further
averred that per a letter dated 20th December, 1997, they were
offered three months casual employment with effect from 29thDecember
1997 as general Labourers; that on 28th March 1998, the defendant/respondent
addressed letters to them terminating their appointments on 31stMarch
1998 without any payment of their entitlements even though their appointments
had assumed the character of permanent workers.&nbsp;
The plaintiffs/appellants therefore instituted an action against the
defendant/respondent company on 3rd August, 1998 initially claiming
five reliefs. By an amended Writ of Summons and Statement of Claim filed on 17th</main>