Judicial Service to establish second labour court in Kumasi

The Judicial Service is to establish a second industrial court in Kumasi in February next year to deal with industrial disputes within the metropolis to ensure a healthy environment on the labour front.

This will bring to two, the number of labour courts set up by the Service after the first one was opened in Accra earlier this year.

Mrs Justice Georgina Theodora Wood, Chief Justice, disclosed this in Accra on Tuesday when executive members of the National Labour Commission (NLC) paid a courtesy call on her at her office.

She pledged the preparedness of the Service to co-operate with the NLC to ensure the expeditious disposal of labour-related issues at the courts.

Mr Joseph Aryitey, Chairperson of the Commission, who led the six-member delegation, said the visit was to express the NLC's appreciation to the Chief Justice for the initiative to help minimize industrial unrest.

The other executive members were Mr. Kwasi Danso Acheampong (Deputy Chairman), Opanin Obeng Fosu, Mr Paul Osei-Mensah, Mrs Angelina Domakyaareh and Mr Edward Briku-Boadu (Executive Secretary).

Mr Aryitey said the NLC had the responsibility to ensure a good industrial relations landscape in accordance with the Labour Act 2003, Act 651.

“This is one Act under which we derive our Commission's existence. It received so much attention and co-operation from the social partners, namely, organized labour and Ghana Employers' Association when it was promulgated.” Mr Aryitey reiterated that the NLC would ensure healthy industrial relations atmosphere to protect all parties, and assure investors of rights which needed to be considered in dealing with the workforce.