JOHN AKPARIBO NDEBUGRE vs. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, AKER ASA AND CHEMU POWER COMPANY LTD [2016]DLSC2855

JOHN AKPARIBO NDEBUGRE vs. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, AKER ASA AND CHEMU POWER COMPAN... [2016]DLSC2855

Date	2016-04-20
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. J1/5/2013
Citation No.	[2016]DLSC2855

ATUGUBA JSC (PRESIDING)

ADINYIRA (MRS) JSC

ANIN YEBOAH JSC

BAFFOE-BONNIE JSC

GBADEGBE JSC

AKOTO - BAMFO (MRS) JSC

BENIN JSC

THADEUS SORY ESQ. FOR THE PLAINTIFF

GRACE OPPONG (MS) (PSA) WITH HER MODESTER LEGIBO (ASA) FOR THE 1ST DEFENDANT.

KWEKU AINUSON ESQ. FOR THE 3RD DEFENDANT

[2016]DLSC2855
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >JOHN AKPARIBO NDEBUGRE<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>THE ATTORNEY GENERAL,
AKER ASA AND CHEMU POWER COMPANY LTD<o:p></o:p>[SUPREME COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

CIVIL
APPEAL NO. J1/5/2013&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;DATE: 20TH
APRIL, 2016<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>THADEUS SORY ESQ. FOR
THE PLAINTIFF <o:p></o:p>GRACE OPPONG (MS)&nbsp; (PSA)&nbsp;
WITH HER MODESTER LEGIBO (ASA)&nbsp;
FOR&nbsp; THE 1ST&nbsp; DEFENDANT.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

KWEKU AINUSON ESQ. FOR THE 3RD DEFENDANT <o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:
<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

ATUGUBA JSC
(PRESIDING), ADINYIRA (MRS) JSC, ANIN YEBOAH JSC, BAFFOE-BONNIE JSC, GBADEGBE JSC,
AKOTO - BAMFO (MRS) JSC, AND BENIN JSC<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

JUDGEMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>ATUGUBA, JSC<o:p></o:p>I have
read, with advantage, the masterly judgment of my able brother Benin JSC. Whilst
agreeing with his conclusion I have some views to express on some of the issues
in this case.<o:p></o:p>FACTS OF THE CASE<o:p></o:p>The 1st defendant’s statement of case
dated the 21st day of November 2013 reveals the following:-<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-justify:inter-ideograph;
text-indent:-.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none">2.1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; On
the 24th of October 2008, the Government of Ghana signed a petroleum
agreement (“Petroleum Agreement”) over the South Deepwater Tano block with the
Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (“GNPC”), Aker ASA, a Norwegian company,
and Chemu Power Company Limited, a Ghanaian company.<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-justify:inter-ideograph;
text-indent:-.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-justify:inter-ideograph;
text-indent:-.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none">2.2&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; On
29th October 2008, Aker ASA incorporated a wholly owned local
subsidiary, Aker Ghana Limited (“AGL”) to conduct petroleum operations in Ghana
pursuant to Section 23 (15) (a) of the Petroleum (Exploration and Production)
Law, 1983 (PNDCL 84), Chemu Power Company Limited, a Ghanaian company, was
incorporated earlier on 7th February 2008.<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-justify:inter-ideograph;
text-indent:-.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-justify:inter-ideograph;
text-indent:-.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none">2.3&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; On
the 5th of November, 2008, the Petroleum Agreement was ratified by
Parliament pursuant to Article 268 (1) of the Constitution 1992.<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-justify:inter-ideograph;
text-indent:-.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-justify:inter-ideograph;
text-indent:-.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none">2.4&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In a
letter dated 24th February 2009, the Managing Director of GNPC
informed Aker ASA of the need to assign its interest in the Petroleum Agreement
to AGL pursuant to section&nbsp; 23 (15) (a)
of the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Law, 1983 (PNDCL 84). Aker ASA in
a response dated 26th February 2009 noted that in its view Aker ASA
could be a co-signatory with AGL to the Petr</main>