A Human Rights Advocate and former employee of the Australian High Commission in Ghana, Mercy Adjabeng, is seeking justice for alleged abuse of her rights and unfair treatment by the High Commission.

She said she is also further demanding an apology and compensation at the level agreed for her re-engagement from the High Commission.

According to Mercy, she resigned on certain confrontational grounds after working with the Australian High Commission for three years. The High Commission called her back this year for re-engagement.

Briefing the media in Accra, Madam Adjabeng said the second engagement was not favorable, and upon protest, she was sacked barely three months after her re-engagement. She was not even allowed into the premises to pack her things.

Ms Adjabeng said the High Commission terminated her appointment on August 8, 2022 due to the Mission’s own refusal to honour an agreement to continue her employment at the agreed level.

“This was as a result of the Australian High Commission’s refusal to honour an agreement to continue my employment at the agreed level reflecting my experience and expertise, expected to be above Level 5,” she said.

“They had removed me from that level, demoting me to a Level 4. This demotion came together with a treatment that fails the standards set by the High Commission of respect, transparency, and community,” she added.

She further explained that she had previously been employed by the High Commission under former High Commissioners Andrews Barnes and Gregory Andrew until September 30, 2021 when she reigned.

According to her, after she had resigned, the High Commission approached her and requested that she returned to work with them, because they have been unable to find a replacement, after advertising and conducting interviews.

“On my last day, an Australian member of staff at the Australian High Commission hounded me out of the building, treating me with disrespect, a lack of humanity, and a lack of professionalism,” she said.

She stated the following as the actions the Australia High Commission took and said those actions were against the laws of Ghana.

The actions she said “fall foul of Ghana’s labour laws; fall foul of Australia High Commission’s standard of treating employees with respect, courtesy and in a professional manner. They were unfair, unjust and a misrepresentation,” and in response she is pursuing the following recourse: “Using media advocacy to stand up, speak up and tell my story; Petitioning relevant institutions; Taking legal action and any other legitimate means for redress,” she said.

Prior to this publication, Peacefmonline placed a call to the offices of the High Commission for their reaction, but they were closed.