MANFORD GYANSA-LUTTERODT vs. AFAM CONCEPT [2023]DLSC15160

Date	2023-05-18
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/62/2022
Citation No.	[2023]DLSC15160

YEBOAH CJ (PRESIDING)

OWUSU (MS.) JSC

TORKORNOO (MRS.) JSC

ACKAH-YENSU (MS.) JSC

ASIEDU JSC

CHARLES BAWADUAH ESQ. FOR THE COMPLAINANT/APPLICANT/APPELLANT

Y. A. AFFRAM ESQ. FOR THE RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT

[2023]DLSC15160
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >MANFORD GYANSA-LUTTERODT<o:p></o:p>(COMPLAINANT/APPLICANT/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>AFAM CONCEPT<o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>[SUPREME COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;<div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 0in 1pt;">

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padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/62/2022&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: 18TH MAY 2023<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM<o:p></o:p>YEBOAH CJ (PRESIDING), OWUSU (MS.) JSC,
TORKORNOO (MRS.) JSC, ACKAH-YENSU (MS.) JSC, ASIEDU JSC<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top-width: 1.5pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right: none; padding: 1pt 0in;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
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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><a name="_Hlk13039370">ACKAH-YENSU
(MS.) JSC:-<o:p></o:p></a>&nbsp;INTRODUCTION<o:p></o:p>This Ruling is predicated on an appeal filed by the
Complainant/Applicant/Appellant (hereinafter referred to simply as the
“Appellant”) to this Court regarding a refusal by the Court of Appeal to grant
an application for extension of time to file an appeal against the decision of
the National Labour Council (NLC).&nbsp; The
Respondent/Respondent/Respondent has raised a Preliminary Objection on the
ground that since the cause or matter commenced at the NLC, the Appellant ought
to have sought the leave of the Court of Appeal or the Special Leave of the
Supreme Court in accordance with the provisions of Article 131(1) and 2 of the
1992 Constitution, and section 4(1)(2) of the Court Act 1993 (Act 459).<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;BACKGROUND
FACTS<o:p></o:p>The Appellant had his employment with the Respondent
terminated in March 2016.&nbsp; Aggrieved with
the termination of his appointment, Appellant petitioned the NLC on a complaint
of Unfair Termination.&nbsp; Upon
consideration of the facts, evidence, and the relevant law, the NLC made a
finding that the Appellant’s employment was unfairly terminated as he was not
given an opportunity to be heard, nor was he heard on the charges which
Respondent relied on to terminate his appointment. In effect, the rules of
natural justice had not been complied with in the process which resulted in the
termination of the Appellant’s appointment.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The NLC concluded that the Respondent had breached
the provisions of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651) by unfairly terminating the
Appellant’s employment, and consequently ordered the Respondent to compensate
the Appellant by paying him nine (9) months’ salary (using his basic monthly
salary assessed at the Ghana Cedi equivalent of US$3,400.00) for unfair
termination of his employment and the lump sum of GH¢57,000.00 for expenses
incurred by the Appellant in the course of his employment owed him by
Respondent.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The decision of the NLC even though delivered on 17th
November 2020, was made available to the Appellant on 15th December
2020, which was after the fourteen (14) days provided by the Labour Act, within
which period a dissatisfied party can file an appeal against the decision of
the NLC to the Court of Appeal.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The Appellant contended that since he was already
out of time to file an appeal at the time the NLC’s decision was served on him,
and being aggrieved with the said decision, he filed an application before the
Court of Appeal for extension of time within which to appeal, with a Proposed
Notice of Appeal attached thereto.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;