THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (PLAINTIFF) vs. GHANA FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION (DEFENDANT) [2018]DLHC7351

Date	2018-07-12
Suit No.	SUIT NO: MSC/0101/2018
Citation No.	[2018]DLHC7351

HIS LORDSHIP SAMUEL K. A. ASIEDU J.

HON. GODFRED YEBOAH DAME (DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL) WITH HIM

HELEN A. AKPENE (SOLICITOR GENERAL) STELLA DENKYI ( CHIEF STATE

ATTORNEY) MRS R. ASAH ( SENIOR STATE ATTORNEY) AND ZINABU AYARIGA

( ASSITANT STATE ATTORNEY) FOR THE PETITIONER.

T. SORY ESQ. WITH SHAWN POKU ESQ. ABU JUAN ESQ. AND BAFFOUR G.B. ASHIA ESQ. FOR THE RESPONDENT

[2018]DLHC7351
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >THE ATTORNEY GENERAL<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>GHANA FOOTBALL
ASSOCIATION<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;
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SUIT
NO: MSC/0101/2018&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: 12TH JULY, 2018<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL: <o:p></o:p>HON. GODFRED YEBOAH DAME
(DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL) WITH HIM HELEN A. AKPENE (SOLICITOR GENERAL), STELLA DENKYI
( CHIEF STATE ATTORNEY), MRS R. ASAH ( SENIOR STATE ATTORNEY) AND ZINABU
AYARIGA ( ASSITANT STATE ATTORNEY) FOR THE PETITIONER.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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T.
SORY ESQ., WITH SHAWN POKU ESQ., ABU JUAN ESQ., AND BAFFOUR G.B. ASHIA ESQ.,
FOR THE RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:<o:p></o:p>HIS LORDSHIP SAMUEL K. A.
ASIEDU, J.<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="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
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mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">RULING<o:p></o:p>

</div>The instant application seeks two reliefs from the
court.&nbsp; First, an order from the court to
restrain the members, directors and officers of the Respondent from exercising
powers as ordinarily conferred on them by the provisions of the companies Act,
1963, (Act 179), the statutes of the Respondent and other relevant instruments,
particularly relating to the disposal of the assets of the Respondent,
organisation of football matches and appointment of executives and other
officials, pending the final determination of a petition filed by the applicant
for the official winding up of the respondent.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The second relief is for an order in terms of the
Bodies Corporate (Official Liquidation) Act, 1963, Act 180, and also, under the
inherent jurisdiction of the court, to appoint the Registrar of Companies to
exercise the powers of a liquidator in relation to the respondent pending the
final determination of the petition.<o:p></o:p>The applicant has attached an affidavit in support
and also filed a supplementary affidavit in support of the application. The
respondent has also filed an affidavit in opposition to the application.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>In view of the fact that the substantive petition
is yet to be heard, the court has decided to restrain itself from making detailed
comments on matters raised therein in order not to prejudice the outcome of the
petition even before it is heard and determined on its merits. Suffice it to
say for now that the court has considered the facts as recounted in the
affidavit in support as the basis for the application and the orders sought
from the court. The court has also considered the allegations contained in the
petition filed by the applicant on the 11th day of June 2018 in
addition to the answer filed by the respondent on the 20th June,
2018.<o:p></o:p>From the facts alleged in the petition as well as
the affidavit in support, the court is satisfied that the case before the court
is not frivolous and that the applicant has a right in law and equity which
calls for the protection of the court in equity.&nbsp; Again the affidavit evidence presented to the
court by the parties shows that on the balance, the applicant will suffer
greater inconvenience should the application be refused.<o:p></o:p>Further, the court is satisfied that given the
facts/allegations placed before the court the award of damages will not be
adequate compensation in the circumstances of this case.<o:p></o:p>The court has considered the law on the subject as
submitted by the parties in the respective statement of case attached to the
affidavits.<o:p></o:p>The court refers to section 4(7) of the Bodies
Corporate (Official Liquidations) Act, 1963, Act 180 which provides that<o:p></o:p>(7)&nbsp;&nbsp;Subject to this section, the High
Court may, at any time between the presentation of a petition and the making of
a winding-up order, appoint the Registrar to exercise all or any of the powers
of a liquidator.<o:p></o:p>In the circumstances, subject to the applicant
complying, within 7 days from today, with the provisions in Order 25 Rule 9(1)
of the High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2004, CI 47, the application is
granted and the Registrar of Companies is, accordingly, appointed to exercise
all or any of the powers of a liquidator in relation to the assets of the
respondent herein.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></main>