From Judex Okoro, Calabar
A High Court sitting in Calabar has set October 6 to rule on two parallel applications on the N68 million University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) Isolation Centre contract litigation.
The management of UCTH and Obi Achara Nigeria Ltd have been engaged in a legal battle over the payment for the construction of the Isolation Centre at the hospital.
The contractor of the Centre, Obi Achara, had dragged the health institution to court seeking payment of the contract after the management of UCTH had taken delivery of the building during the outbreak of COCID-19.
In the applications before the court, the Claimant, Obi Achara Nigeria Limited, wants the court to enter judgment in the matter.
However, the defendant University of Calabar Teaching Hospital Management Board wants the court to strike out the case.
Ruling on the matter, the Presiding judge, Angela Obi after listening to arguments from counsels to both parties Eta Akpama (Claimants) and Volunteer Itam (Defendants) adjourned the case to October 6, 2021.
The long adjournment is a result of this year’s annual legal vacation which commences later this month.
In his reaction, Eta Akpama, counsel for the Claimants, said they filed an application to extend the time within which to file their response to the application to strike out the case.
He said that response was taken in today’s sitting and by the rules of the court from the day the response was taken and granted they have seven days to respond which they have done.
On his part, counsel for the Defendants Volunteer Itam said the claimants brought a motion to regularise their counter-affidavit which they did not object to.