The twelve labour unions currently challenging government in court over the tier two pension funds have defended a decision to seek the removal of the judge hearing the case.
[contextly_sidebar id=”OVvG7rTy5V3J1xcv84A676EepBL5RVHC”]They are accusing the presiding judge, Justice Saeed Gyan of being ‘biased’ against them.
They claim the presiding judge has demonstrated an inclination and preference for the plaintiff (state) in the matter and has thus petition the Attorney General to have the issue addressed.
Defending their petition on Eyewitness News, Spokesperson of the Council of the Civil and Local Government Staff Association, Ghana (CLOGSAG), Edmund Akwei insisted that the judge handling of the case shows that he is not the right person to sit on the case hence the petition.
“We are saying the judge has not been fair to us in the way he’s handling the issue. From the onset, we have been paying key attention to the issue. There had been two ruling and in all we realized the judge is not being fair to us. There is a little bit of bias in it especially when he is able to make certain statements as declared or presumed employer being government.”
He lamented that “our lawyers are not allowed to make their presentations or debates or rebut or defense when they the deputy attorney generals lawyers or counsel speak.”
“Anytime our lawyers want to give their feedback or their rebut the judge always tells them it’s okay or objection overruled and as if we are not given ample time or our matter does not really matter in court. And these are observations from the forum members who are always present in court,” added Edmund Akwei.
He said they are bent on ensuring that they receive a fair hearing adding that “we are watching it with all eyes open, we are not going to allow anything to intimidate us as a forum.”
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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana