NYAGSI ENGINEERING LTD vs. GHANA HIGHWAY AUTHORITY [2018]DLHC6273

Date	2018-03-15
Suit No.	Suit No. OCC/34/15
Citation No.	[2018]DLHC6273

JENNIFER DODOO (MRS)

L.N.S. AKUETTEH FOR PLAINTIFF

AYIKOI OTOO FOR DEFENDANT

[2018]DLHC6273
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >NYAGSI ENGINEERING LTD<o:p></o:p>{PLAINTIFF}<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>GHANA HIGHWAY AUTHORITY<o:p></o:p>{DEFENDANT}<o:p></o:p>[HIGH
COURT (COMMERCIAL DIVISION), 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">

Suit No. OCC/34/15&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: 15TH MARCH 2018<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:
<o:p></o:p>L.N.S. AKUETTEH FOR PLAINTIFF<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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AYIKOI OTOO FOR DEFENDANT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>JENNIFER DODOO (MRS) JUSTICE OF THE
HIGH COURT<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%;
border:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt:
solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="1">
 <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo6">Construction
 Contracts: Offer and Acceptance, Intention to be legally bound<o:p></o:p></li>
 <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo6">Special
 Damages to be particularized and proven<o:p></o:p></li>
 <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo6">Award
 of General Damages(factors to take into consideration)<o:p></o:p></li>
 <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo6">Interest
 rates and how calculated<o:p></o:p></li>
</ol><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The Plaintiff’s claim against the
Defendant is for general and punitive damages for breach of contract.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>It was the Plaintiff’s case that in
June 2007 it tendered for and sometime in 2008 won a competitive bidding
contract to undertake the upgrading of the 54.2 kilometres Yendi-Gushiegu Road
in the Northern Region of Ghana.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>It averred that the Central Tender
Review Board of the Ministry of Finance &amp; Economic Planning gave concurrent
approval for the award of the contract to it on 23rd December
2008.&nbsp; This was followed by a letter
dated 5th January 2009 confirming the award of the contract at a
price of GH¢35,994,052.54.<o:p></o:p>It was the Plaintiff’s case that the
Defendant had demanded the provision of a performance security and had
indicated that with this condition fulfilled, the contract agreement would be
signed.&nbsp; According to the Plaintiff,
after arranging a performance bond from the Quality Insurance Company, it set
about making arrangements at great cost to position itself to satisfactorily
perform the contract.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>However, it received a letter on 30th
April 2009 suspending the commencement of the job.&nbsp; Plaintiff averred that out of a number of
companies that were awarded contracts, it was the only one which lost out.&nbsp; Efforts to get a replacement contract proved
abortive.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Plaintiff said the Defendant’s
conduct had brought it to its knees as it had suffered great losses.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The Defendant in its defence denied
that there had been a validly signed contract agreement between the
parties.&nbsp; It was its stance that the
Plaintiff took unnecessary risks in concluding agreements with foreign partners
and denied liability for the Plaintiff’s losses.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The following issues were forwarded
to this court for trial:<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="1">
 <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1">Whether or not there was a
 binding contract between Plaintiff and the Defendant?<o:p></o:p></li>
 <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1">Whether or not the Defendant
 breached the said contract?<o:p></o:p></li>
 <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1">Whether or not the Plaintiff
 suffered any damage in reliance on the said contract?<o:p></o:p></li>
 <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1">Whether or not the Plaintiff is
 entitled to its reliefs?<o:p></o:p></li>
 <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1">Any other issues arising from
 the pleadings.<o:p></o:p></li>
</ol><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The general rule in evidence is as
stated in Ababio v. Akwasi (1994/95) 2 GBR 774 is that a party whose pleadings
raised an issue essential to the success of its case assumes the burden of
proving such issue.&nbsp; And as per Re:
Ashalley Botwe Lands; Adjetey Agbosu &amp; Ors v. Kotey &amp; Ors (2003/2004)
SCGLR 420, the burden of producing evidence in any given case was not fixed,
but shifted from party to party at various stages of the trial, depending on
the issue(s) asserted and/or denied.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>