I was retrenched but was not fully paid my entitlements- Witness

Accra, Oct. 16, GNA- A witness on Thursday told the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) that he was retrenched in 1985 but was not paid his entitlements.

Witness said though most of his colleagues wanted to take the matter to court, the then government passed a law that restrained them from doing so.

Mr. Emmanuel Owusu Appiah, a former Purchasing Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board Produce Buying Company told the Commission that though a letter of retrenchment was given to him at his station in Koforidua in 1985, most of his benefits were denied him.

He said the letter notifying him about the retrenchment did not specify any modality for payment of benefits and that he was paid 450,000 cedis as benefits that he collected in three instalments over a period of three years.

Witness said the Regional Director, Mr. I.K. Dadzie confirmed that the amount was too scanty for 24 years of service yet nothing was done about it.

Mr. Appiah said as a member of the Senior Staff Association, he was entitled to about two million cedis benefits, including about one million cedis of four years leave arrears adding that all these were denied him.

He said for the whole of his life he never tasted wine hence the letter of his retrenchment stated that he was a drunkard adding that this had affected him and his family.

Witness said though he went into farming after the retrenchment to support his family he could not continue due to ill health and old age. Mr. Appiah said two of his six children had to leave technical school prematurely because he could not pay their fees adding that the last two did not even have the opportunity to go through basic education.

He prayed the Commission to recommend compensation for him.

Mr. George Kwabena Yeboah, a former Shopkeeper in Accra now resident at Nkawkaw told the NRC that he was incapacitated due to a fracture he suffered in his left leg when soldiers pushed him down from a truck in 1988.

"Before the incident I was very fit but now I have to walk with the aid of a metal walking stick."

Mr.Yeboah said on September 12, 1988 he was returning from Burma Hall where he was detained for allegedly defrauding a lady, Yaa Agyeiwaa of 300,000 cedis.

He said he subleased one of his stores to the said Agyeiwaa at 300,000, which she agreed and later reported him to the soldiers that he had defrauded her of 300,000 cedis as a result of which he was arrested. Mr. Yeboah said he informed his parents who sold their land to pay the amount, which the soldiers took from him.

He said based on that he was released but on his way to his home at New Town in the evening, some soldiers picked him up and demanded where he was going adding that they later asked for some money to buy some drink.

" I gave them 500 cedis after which they asked me to get down. As I was getting down, the driver started to move the truck as a result of which I fell".

Mr. Yeboah said he was severely injured and went to the hospital where he was told he had a fracture adding that though he received treatment, he never fully recovered.

The Witness pleaded with the Commission to recommend compensation for him.