Business News of Wednesday, 24 May 2006

Source: GNA

NLC seeks court order against Ghana Breweries Limited

Accra, May 24, GNA - The National Labour Commission (NLC) on Wednesday said it had applied to an Accra High Court for an order to compel former Ghana Breweries Limited to comply with the Commission's ruling to pay its former company secretary in accordance with an agreement on the benefits for staff made redundant last year.

A statement issued in Accra said, in addition, the Commission was praying the court to order the Company to pay the benefits with interest at the prevailing commercial rate with effect from July 1, 2005. The redundancies occurred following the merger between the company and Guinness Ghana Limited to become Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited. It said Mr Joe Aboagye Debrah, the former company secretary, had petitioned the NLC on July 18, 2005 over his former employer's failure to pay him his entitlement in accordance with the terms of the redundancy agreement reached on June 9, 2005.

The Commission ruled in favour of the petitioner and directed Ghana Breweries Limited to comply but the company applied to the high court seeking an order to quash the ruling.

On March 23, 2006 the High Court, presided over by Justice Irismay Brown dismissed the application by Ghana Breweries and directed the company to comply with the ruling.

Ghana Breweries has so far not complied with the decision of the Commission as well as the directive of the High Court.