FORMER WORKERS of Ghana Ports and Harbor Authority (GPHA) have appealed to government to help in retrieving $200 million compensation they claim is due them.
They said some 4195 workers laid-off in 2002 by the GPHA, and according to Laud Nhyira Laryea, leader of the ex-workers, the employees were sent home without what he claimed to be any proper notification and severance packages in September 2002 after the company authorities embarked on a mass retrenchment exercise.
The matter, which has received various courts’ ruling since 2006, was first ruled at Tema High Court, presided by Justice E.K Mensah, who ordered the company to pay the rightful benefits to the ex-workers.
The GPHA was displeased with the judgement and appealed against the verdict.
The Court of Appeal later ruled that one man, Clement Agbeshie, out of the 4195 aggrieved ex-workers, be paid.
The former GPHA workers were dissatisfied with the ruling by the court and later claimed they held a meeting with the Chief Executive Officer, Michael Luguje, who allegedly promised to pay their rightful benefit since 2018.
The said meeting had not been verified and GPHA had not indicated if such a meeting was ever held as claimed by the claimants.
“We are appealing to government to seek the welfare since they are entitled to benefits from their hard works,” Mr. Laryea said.
The case was stepped up to the Supreme Court for further interpretation and the court ordered the company to pay five persons who led the suit GH¢20,000 each but did not receive GH¢1,000 during the exercise in 2002.
The case was decided by the Supreme Court and it is unclear what the claimants are seeking currently.
In 2002, GPHA’s management embarked on a World Bank funded project dubbed ‘Voluntary Retirement Exercise’ aimed at refitting the harbors.
Over 5000 staff and non-staff opted for the exercise but many claimed they had since not received their benefits after their lay-offs.
By PRINCE FIIFI YORKE