The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday appointed a liquidator for Dantata & Sawoe Construction Company Limited. This decision was over the failure to pay $1.4 million in accordance with the terms of a settlement agreement.
The agreement was regarding an alleged $1,257,592.83 debt owed to Zutari Consulting Nigeria Ltd, following subcontract work on the Dangote Fertiliser Plant project in Lekki, Lagos.
Justice Mohammed Umar granted Zutari Consulting’s request for the appointment of a liquidator. He noted that Dantata & Sawoe had been given ample time by the court to settle the debt but the company repeatedly presented excuses.
The development comes months after the court approved the publication of a winding-up petition advertisement against Dantata & Sawoe in two national daily newspapers.
Case Details
Zutari Consulting’s lawyer, Chris Ekemezie, stated that arbitration over the matter was conducted in London, United Kingdom. A final arbitral award issued on April 7, 2021, held Dantata & Sawoe liable for the debt.
He added that the petitioner was engaged by the respondent in 2015. Their role was to execute some design components of the respondent’s subcontract works at the Dangote Fertilizer Plant project in Lekki.
They contended that after the petitioner completed the job, Dantata & Sawoe became indebted to it in the sum of “$1,257,592.83, ZAR 2,136,623.39, and £4,364.38.”
He argued that the respondent’s failure to pay the outstanding amount led to a dispute, which was referred to the International Chamber of Commerce for arbitration after both parties were unable to resolve it themselves. The tribunal ruled in the petitioner’s favour.
