Rivers
Bori Zonal Hospital: Yobana Thanks Fubara For Visionary Leadership
The Caretaker Committee Chairman of Khana Local Government Area, Ambassador Marvin Yobana, has expressed satisfaction with the level of work on the ongoing reconstruction of Bori Zonal Hospital.
Yobana lauded the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, for his visionary leadership and commitment towards developing critical infrastructure in the State.
Bori Zonal Hospital is a flagship project of the Rivers State Governor.
The Council chairman, while inspecting the project at Bori, yesterday, said he was satisfied with the level of work already done on the hospital.
He commended the contractors handling the project for their dedication and commitment towards the timely delivery of the project.
He stated that the hospital is expected to provide quality healthcare services to the people of Ogoni and Rivers Senatorial District.
According to him, “The Bori Zonal Hospital, when completed, will be a state-of-the-art medical facility equipped with modern equipment and staffed by experienced healthcare professionals. The project is part of the Rivers State Government’s efforts to improve access to quality healthcare services for its citizens, especially those within the Khana LGA axis.”
He assured the State Government of the continued support and cooperation of the Khana people, especially the Khana Council of Traditional Chiefs, Youths and CD chairmen in its developmental endeavours.
The chairman urged the contractor handling the Bori Zonal Hospital to ensure that the project follows specification and standard.
Rivers
Macobarb CEO Cries Out, Says No Indigenous Contractor Can Win Case Against NLNG Or Oil Majors in Nigerian Courts …As Justice Nwogu Throws Out Macobarb’s N5.74bn Claim
Justice Chinwendu Nwogu of the Port Harcourt High Court has thrown out the N5.74bn claim filed by Macobarb, an indigenous contractor, against the NLNG for breach of contract and accumulated losses.
Shedrack Ogboru, the CEO of Macobarb International Limited, who filed the claims since 2022 as one of the claimants, in suit number HC/2013/CS/2022, has however cried out, saying the fate of indigenous contractors in Nigerian courts is doomed.
Ogboru told newsmen outside the court after the shock ruling that the judge abandoned the crux of the matter and the terms of the contract to deny Macobarb the claims.
Showing anger and frustration, Ogboru said he felt he presented tight case to the court to show that the NLNG breached terms of payments and that the breaches caused slowdown of the execution of the contract, but regretted that the judge did not agree with any of his arguments.
Saying many indigenous contractors have died as a result of injustices in the hands of the oil majors, he said only abroad do communities and local contractors get some form of justice, never in Nigeria.
Justice Nwogu had ruled that the NLNG did not breach its contract with the contractor and that the gas company did not unlawfully deny Macobarb payments.
The judge said work executed by Macobarb did not amount to ‘work done’ as stated in the contract terms except the NLNG approved it as so, and that the provision mandating the person recognized as ‘contract holder’ nominated by the NLNG as the one to authorize any dealings with the contractor did not mean that he alone could act for the NLNG as relied upon by the contractor. The judge ruled that the ‘contract holder’ was a mere day to day overseer of the project, and that any official mandated by the NLNG can terminate the contract.
The judge also ruled that the contract did not provide for ‘standdown payment’ and that the NLNG did not cause delays in the execution of the contract as claimed by the contractor.
The judge also ruled that the payment failures by the NLNG that the contractor claimed affected the contract did not amount to an offence or breach of the contract but that the contractor misused the loan he obtained from banks.
In the end, the judge ruled in favour of almost all the grounds submitted by the NLNG and none of the grounds by the contractor, and even tongue-lashed the contractor in most of his rulings.
Reacting, Ogboru said: “My case is presented 100 per cent, the NLNG’s case is zero; but surprisingly, the NLNG has rather been upheld, and Macobarb denied. I pity indigenous contractors in Nigerian courts. We are doomed.”