'Unfair' dismissal: Adjaye and Associates sued by ex-director, claims $61,903

The UK-based portal, Architect Journal reports that upon her being handpicked to set up and run the Ghana office, Alice relocated with her young daughter in 2012.

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Adjaye and Associates, a company owned by the architect of Ghana’s National Cathedral, Sir David Adjaye has been sued by its former director, Alice Asafu-Adjaye at the High Court in Ghana for her ‘unfair sacking’ in 2015 as Associate Director of African projects.

The UK-based portal, Architect Journal reports that upon her being handpicked to set up and run the Ghana office, Alice relocated with her young daughter in 2012.

However, three years after, she was informed that the Ghana office was closing and was sacked without any redundancy pay. The claimant adds also that she was denied the 11 weeks' notice required of senior staff.

The claimant, therefore, avers that her dismissal amounted to redundancy however the redundancy procedures stipulated in Ghana’s Labour Act,(Act 651) were not followed.

Moreover, the claimant notes that contrary to the notice of winding up received, the Ghana company has continued to operate and even bid for projects including the National Cathedral.

According to her, this could only have been done to deny her redundancy package.

She is therefore claiming an amount of $61,903 as compensation/ redundancy pay, cost, and damages.

Additionally, an order for the payment of £3,000 SSNIT contributions owed by the defendant over her wages.

STATEMENT OF DEFENCE

Defendant has responded noting however that SDAA is a company separate from the one cited in the suit.

David Adjaye and Adjaye Associates Ghana Ltd also note in their response that Alice’s employment was terminated lawfully per the new contract signed with her upon relocation to Ghana and that she was only entitled to four weeks' notice.

On the issue of SSNIT contribution, the defendant argues that the claimant had refused to register for the scheme and that her termination was not based on the intention to close the Ghana Office as averred.

Counsel for the defendant is meanwhile reported to have initiated an out-of-court settlement happening in court on the last sitting day.

The case is expected to be heard on January 19, 2023.