MUSAH ABDULAI & 21 ORS vs. ASHANTI GOLDFIELDS COMPANY LTD. OBUASI [2016]DLCA5610

Date	2016-04-04
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEALNO.:H1/15/2015
Citation No.	[2016]DLCA5610

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

[2016]DLCA5610
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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>[COURT
OF APPEAL, KUMASI]<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">

<h4 style="margin-left:0in;text-align:justify;text-indent:0in;line-height:115%;
border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;
mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">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;DATE:
4TH APRIL, 2016<o:p></o:p></h4>

</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;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

ANTHONY
DESEWU KUJAWU FOR THE DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>E.
K. AYEBI J.A. (PRESIDING), G. TORKORNOO
(MRS) J.A, A. M.
DOMAKYAAREH (MRS) J.A<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;border-right:none;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%;
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>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. The appeal is against the 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><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
Plaintiffs/Appellants Case:<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</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. 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. <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. <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. <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. 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 July 2000, the
plaintiffs/appellants claimed the following reliefs namely;<o:p></o:p>1.
A Declaration that the termination of the plaintiffs contract of employment
with the defendant was inconsistent wit and or in contravention of the parties’
Collective bargaining Agreement.<o:p></o:p>