Court to Hear Macobarb N5.07b Suit Against NLNG Sept 30

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

Macobarb International Limited has upped its claim against the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) from about N1billion in the originating summons in 2019 to over N5billion in 2024.

This came as a Rivers State High court sitting in Port Harcourt has fixed September 30, this year, to open hearing on the amended claim in suit number PHC/2013/CS/2022 before Justice Chinwendu Nwogu.

It would be recalled that in the last mention of the suit in court, the legal team to Macobarb led by Morrison Uzoma, resigned from the case, while Dr. Innocent Ekuh, has taken over as legal lead counsel for Macobarb.

During the last sitting, the new lawyers, led by Etuk filed amended claims demanding for N5.073billions and volumes of additional attachments to defend their new claim.

Some argument ensued in court between both legal teams before the presiding the Judge adjourned to the afore mentioned date for hearing.

Macobarb, an indigenous contractor had dragged the NLNG to court claiming over N1billion (now amended to N5.073bn) for alleged breaches to a contract (B130142PPI, Access Control) in the NLNG plant area with three years duration.

The suit said the contract provided that Macobarb be paid bit by bit progressively based on the value of verified work done.

Macobarb in its claims said the contract also forbade delay of any kind in the project and provided for penalty on whoever caused the delay. It also provided for alert system should anything want to cause a delay.

Macobarb said it activated the alert clauses when payment delays began to happen, claiming that nothing was done to rectify the delays until the contract was terminated.

Speaking with journalists on the matter, counsel to Macobarb, Dr. Ekuh said: “This matter that has been going on over the years and has not really come on as speedily as expected. We are glad to say that today, we have achieved a very great milestone.

“The honorable court of justice has granted leave to the claimant to file his amendment, and other consequential documents preparatory for hearing”.

Ekuh continued: “Now that leave of court has been granted and that has been done and achieved, court has adjourned the matter for definite hearing to the September 30, 2024.

“On that date, the lead witness of Macobarb will enter the witness box to adopt his evidences and documentary proof of his claims against the NLNG. It is a milestone.

The battle of all these years has now been concretised for the court to determine the issues in dispute that have been brought before it to be determined according to the laws of our land.”

He explained further that the opponent (NLNG) did not oppose the amendment because they did not file counter.

“They accepted the amendment which also enables them to file their own consequential amendment. But they opposed the court deeming the amendment granted asking the court to direct us to file clean copy of the amendment. That is okay with us,” he added.