The Industrial Training Fund, ITF and its Governingcouncil have dragged British American Tobacco (Nigeria) Limited before a Federal High Court in Lagos over failure of the multi-national Company to pay its contribution in the sum of N20,504,480.51
In an affidavit sworn to by Mr Stephen Adegbenjo, a senior
accountant with ITF and filed before the court by a Lagos Lawyer Mr Frank Eke,
it was alleged that ITF conducted a verification exercise of the books of
account of the British American Tobacco Company conducted by the official of
ITF for the year 2015-2017.
It said on the 26th of August, 2019, it was established that
the outstanding liability of the company to ITF for the year 2015-2017 was
N33,218,067.96.
According to the affidavit, a letter and the tabulated
summary of the verification exercise containing the outstanding liability was
sent to the defendant on the 27th of August, 2019 but that the defendant failed
and refused to satisfy its indebtedness to the Plaintiffs.
Following the said verification exercise and failure of the
defendant to pay its outstanding liabilities, the plaintiff instructed its
counsel, Frank Eke to help recover the outstanding verified liability owed the
plaintiffs by the defendant.
The plaintiff said after a letter of demand was sent to the
defendant, the defendant went to paid only the principal amount in the sum of
N12,713,587.45 and neglected and refused to pay the penalty in the sum of
N20,504,480.51.
Mr Adegbenjo averred further that, the defendant has no
defence whatsoever to this legal action having failed to comply with its
statutory obligation to the Plaintiffs by paying its total outstanding verified
liability for the year 2015-2017.
Consequently, the Plaintiff’s claim is for the sum of
N20,504,480.51 against the defendant; 5% monthly penalty for non-payment on
every month the aforementioned sum ought to have been paid from the 1st of
April,2015 until liquidation of the outstanding sum in accordance with the
Industrial Training Fund Act Cap 19, laws of the Federation of Nigeria,2004 as
amended by the industrial Training Fund Act 19 of 2011.
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