By: Danie Otu Asante
A 74-year-old retired welder, Mr. Philip Hiadzi, is appealing to government authorities and labour institutions to intervene in what he describes as a long-standing struggle to recover his outstanding end-of-service benefits after dedicating 35 years of his life in service to his former employer.
Mr. Hiadzi, a professional welder, worked with Foundries & Agricultural
Machinery (Ghana) Limited from February 1, 1977, until his retirement in September 2012. According to documents in his possession, he served the company for more than three decades before retiring at the age of 60. Records indicate that Foundries & Agricultural Machinery (Ghana) Ltd operated in Ghana’s industrial and agricultural machinery sector.
According to Mr. Hiadzi, he submitted his retirement notice on June 22, 2012, in accordance with the applicable Industrial and Tripartite Agreement provisions, with the retirement expected to take effect on September 14, 2012.
He says the company subsequently responded with an acceptance letter dated November 22, 2012. The letter, signed by the then Managing Director, Mr. Kamal Ram, reportedly acknowledged his retirement and indicated that consultations would be undertaken with the General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) and the Labour Office to determine the appropriate settlement of his benefits.
Mr. Hiadzi claims that after calculations were made, he was entitled to end-of-service benefits amounting to GH¢105,196.30. He says deductions, including a GH¢552 loan owed to Danme Bank and a part payment of GH¢2,000, left an outstanding balance of GH¢102,644.30 which remains unpaid to date.
Frustrated by what he describes as months of silence from his former employer, Mr. Hiadzi lodged an official complaint with the National Labour Commission (NLC) on May 22, 2013.
The National Labour Commission, established under the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651), serves as Ghana’s independent body for the resolution of industrial and labour disputes.
Documents made available to Pan African News indicate that the Commission issued several notices requesting responses from the company. A final reminder was reportedly sent on June 3, 2013, under reference number NLC/C-195/2013/14.
According to Mr. Hiadzi, continued non-responsiveness by the company prompted the Commission to issue a Writ of Subpoena Duces Tecum under reference number NLC/C-195/2013/014/52 on January 10, 2014, in an effort to compel the production of relevant documents.
Subsequently, the Commission invited both parties to a hearing scheduled for January 22, 2014. However, Mr. Hiadzi claims the hearing could not proceed because representatives of Foundries & Agricultural Machinery (Ghana) Ltd failed to appear.
A second hearing was then scheduled for February 5, 2014, with the participation of GAWU requested to assist in settling the dispute. Yet Mr. Hiadzi maintains that despite these efforts, the matter never reached a successful conclusion and he never received the benefits he believes are owed to him.
Over a decade later, the retired welder says his situation has become increasingly dire.
Now 74 years old, he says deteriorating health and the absence of a stable source of income have left him dependent on the generosity of friends and relatives for his daily survival.
“I worked for 35 years and expected to enjoy the fruits of my labour after retirement. Instead, I have spent years moving from one office to another seeking justice,” he lamented.
Mr. Hiadzi says numerous visits to the National Labour Commission over the years yielded little progress. He claims he was repeatedly advised to return at later dates, but each visit ended without a resolution.
Pan African News sought clarification from the Commission regarding the status of the matter. While the Commission remains Ghana’s statutory body responsible for resolving labour disputes, officials declined requests for an interview on the specific case and meetings arranged to discuss the matter were reportedly postponed. The Commission’s mandate includes mediation, facilitation and settlement of industrial disputes under Ghana’s labour laws.
The news team also followed up on Mr. Hiadzi’s claim that he previously sought assistance from the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ). According to information provided, he was advised that the matter fell within the jurisdiction of labour authorities and was referred to the National Labour Commission.
As the dispute stretches into its fourteenth year, questions remain over whether the former employee will ever receive the benefits he says are rightfully his after more than three decades of service.
For Mr. Hiadzi, the issue extends beyond unpaid money. It is about dignity, justice and the treatment of workers who dedicate their lives to building companies and industries.
He is now appealing to the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, the National Labour Commission, labour unions, and other relevant state institutions to revisit his case and help secure what he describes as his long-overdue end-of-service benefits.
His appeal raises broader concerns about the effectiveness of labour dispute resolution mechanisms and the protection of retired workers who may lack the financial means to pursue lengthy legal battles after years of service to their employers.
As he waits for answers, Mr. Hiadzi says his only hope is that the institutions mandated to protect workers’ rights will ensure that his decades of labour do not end without justice.