Ghana Fire Service stay of execution application on sacked staff dismissed

The Human Rights Division of the Accra High Court has dismissed an application for stay of execution pending appeal in the case in which the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has been ordered to reinstate two of its staff.

The staff were sacked for getting pregnant in the first three years of their employment.

The High Court last year ordered the GNFS to pay each of the victims GH¢50,000 as compensation.

The court declared as unlawful Regulation 33 (6) of the Conditions of Service of the GNFS that debars service women from getting pregnant within the first three years of their employment.

The court said the state failed to demonstrate what it will lose if the stay of execution was not granted.

Madam Jasmin Armah, State Attorney prayed the court to stay the execution of the judgment pending appeal.

The court however held that the orders of the court must stand.

The court had ruled the application did not establish the difficulty the fire service would incur by reinstating the two.

The Human Rights Division of the Accra High Court ordered the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) to pay GH¢50,000 each as compensation to two Fire Service women who were dismissed for getting pregnant within the first three years of their employment.

The court also ordered the GNFS to reinstate Ms Grace Fosu and Ms Thelma Hammond, and also pay them all their salaries and benefits that had accrued during the period of their dismissal.

It further awarded costs of GH¢10,000 against the GNFS.

The GNFS has however since April last year failed to carry out the orders of the court and later filed this application for stay of execution.

Source: GNA