Accra, Feb. 28, GNA - The Supreme Court will on May 7 give judgment on an appeal brought before it by the Divestiture Implementation Committee (DIC) against a majority decision delivered by the Court of Appeal on November 24, 2006, in favour of 640 former employees of the Accra Brewery Company (ABC).

The five-member panel of the Supreme Court, presided over by Ms Justice Sophia Akuffo, with Mr Justice Steve Brobbey, Mr Julius Ansah, Mrs Sophia Adinyira and Mr Justice Samuel Kwadwo Asiamah as other members, fixed the date after its sitting on Tuesday. On January 18, 2005, the High Court ordered DIC to pay the 640 ex-employees of ABC an amount of 3.1 billion cedis plus interest, with effect from April 30, 1992.

Not satisfied with the High Court's ruling and order, the DIC appealed against it at the Court of Appeal, which by a majority decision, also dismissed the appeal.

In 1992, DIC divested ABC and declared its 640 ex-workers redundant.

The former ABC workers took the matter up at the High Court, claiming that on a true and proper interpretation of the Labour (Amendment) Decree, 1969 (NLCD 342), they were entitled to severance award in relation to the number of years that each of them had worked with the company.

They said the 14 months salary which was paid to them did not take into consideration the number of years that each of them served the company