Home Feature Ekiti deputy gov-elect sues contractor over flood-ravaged hotel

Ekiti deputy gov-elect sues contractor over flood-ravaged hotel

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The Deputy Governor-elect of Ekiti State, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, has sued the state Attorney- General and Hajaig Construction Nigeria Limited to court for the havoc he said was wreaked on his property.

Egbeyemi alleged that it was Hajaig’s negligence in handling the construction work on Ado-Ifaki road and the bridge on Ofin River that caused the flood which overran his hotel, Crownbiz, and damaged properties worth several millions of naira, thereby paralysing business there.

In the suit filed on his behalf by his lawyer, Adedayo Adewumi, before an Ekiti State High Court, the  plaintiff is seeking general damages of N500 million for the negligence allegedly caused by the defendants.

Egbeyemi is also seeking an order of the court directing the defendants to pay another sum of N46.5m as special damages, being the cost of his property allegedly damaged by the defendants’ negligence.

The plaintiff is also praying the court to give an order directing the defendants to find a permanent solution to the flood ravaging Crownbiz Hotel, situated at kilometre 4, Opopogboro, Iworoko Road, Ado-Ekiti.

In his statement of claims attached to the Originating Summons, Egbeyemi averred that Hajaig “did a poor job”, especially the bridge on the Ofin River, which is close to the hotel.

The plaintiff also averred that at the time of filing his suit, the second defendant had not completed the job.

Egbeyemi averred, “The contractor constructed a ring culvert instead of box culverts. The bridge that was there before the contractor bulldozed it was a colonial box culvert, which allowed the river and the flood entering the bridge from the town to flow without blockage.

“The second defendant failed to construct the line drains at the Crownbiz Hotel area, and it also refused or neglected to construct culverts that were broken or removed by them

“The blockage brought a great flood disaster to the claimant’s hotel through its gate, and in June 2014, the hotel rooms were flooded and caused damages to properties in the hotel, all the 35 rooms, kitchen, reception and small hall.

“The defendants’ negligence caused serious damage and the destruction of his hotel. Up till now, nothing has been done to stop the problem and this has negatively affected the business of the claimant, which has completely collapsed as a result of the flood that took over the hotel premises.”

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit. Daily Trust

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