EBENEZER DJUMPAH AND GHANA WATER COMPANY [2013]DLCHRAJ5994

Date	2013-05-02
Suit No.	CHRAJ/774/2008/263
Citation No.	[2013]DLCHRAJ5994

JOSEPH WHITTAL

[2013]DLCHRAJ5994
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B050">EBENEZER DJUMPAH<o:p></o:p>(COMPLAINANT)<o:p></o:p>AND<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B050">GHANA WATER COMPANY<o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt;
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31.0pt 31.0pt 1.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">CHRAJ/774/2008/263&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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 2-5-2013<o:p></o:p>

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padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 1.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">DECISION<o:p></o:p>

</div>INTRODUCTION<o:p></o:p>In a complaint received on
12th November, 2008, the Complainant petitioned against the Respondent alleging
unfair dismissal and sought the Commission's intervention for reinstatement.<o:p></o:p>COMPLAINANT'S
CASE<o:p></o:p>The Complainant, a Revenue
Assistant Gradel, was stationed at the Respondent's office at Saltpond in the
Central Region. According to him, one Mr. Jude Arthur sought his assistance for
a separate meter for his block works in Anomabo for which the Complainant in
turn directed Mr Jude Arthur to the District Commercial Officer (D.C.O). The
Complainant further stated that the D.C.O directed him to do the meter
separation and he also delegated one Mr. Adams, a water attendant grade 1, at
the Saltpond office, to do the meter separation which enabled water to be
finally connected to Mr. Jude Arthur's block works factory. The Complainant
stated that he was queried for illegally connecting water to Mr. Jude Arthur's
site and for unilaterally opening and concealing an account. Management found
the Complainant's explanation to the query untenable and subsequently
interdicted him after a Disciplinary Committee had been set up to investigate
the allegation.<o:p></o:p>The Complainant further
indicated that, he was alleged to have received an amount of Gh¢60.00 from Mr
Jude Arthur. However, the Complainant admitted before the Committee that he
received Gh¢50.00 as connection fee but he decided to keep the money with the
intention of giving it to the D.C.O on his return from Abura Dunkwa.<o:p></o:p>The Complainant petitioned the
Commission against the unfair dismissal and asked for reinstatement since his
action was authorised by the D.C.O.<o:p></o:p>RESPONDENT’S
COMMENTS<o:p></o:p>The Respondent in its comments stated that Mr. Charles Eshun, the Regional
Commercial Officer stationed in Cape Coast detected that water service
connection for Mr. Jude Arthur's block works factory was not in conformity with
the Company's laid down procedures. Further investigations by the Respondent
revealed that the Complainant executed the illegal connection in spite of the
Complainant's denial about his involvement in the act. The Complainant was as a
result interdicted from duty in accordance with Article 5.9(f) of the
Collective Bargaining Agreement (C.B.A) for Junior Staff. A Disciplinary
Committee set up by the Respondent recommended Complainant's dismissal
summarily. This recommendation was upheld by the Respondent.<o:p></o:p>THE
COMMISSION'S MANDATE<o:p></o:p>In accepting to undertake
investigation into the above complaint the Commission was guided by Article 23
of the 1992 constitution relating to administrative justice and section 7(1)(a)
of Act 456 of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice Act
1993 mandate the Commission to investigating issues of unfair treatment.<o:p></o:p>Article 23 of the 1992 of the constitution states that:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
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and administrative officials shall act fairly and reasonably and comply with
the requirements imposed on them by law and persons aggrieved by the exercise
of such acts and decisions shall have the right to seek redress before a court
or other tribunal".<o:p></o:p>Section 7(1) (a) of the CHRAJ Ac</main>