Marie Tecnimont S.P.A, the contractor in charge of the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery, has replied the human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN.

Falana had asked the contractor to furnish him with the information on the completion date for the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery.

The vocal lawyer said in the letter that he was aware that the Federal Government awarded Maire Tecnimont S.P.A. a contract for the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery for the sum of US$1.5bn

“In line with the terms of the contract which was awarded sometime in April 2021, the project is expected to be completed in three phases of 18, 24 and 44 months,” he said.

Giving reasons Marie Tecnimont should comply with his request, Falana said the company is bound by the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act because they utilised huge public funds to execute the rehabilitation contract and failure to provide the requested information will result in legal redress at the court.

“In the case of Coscharis Motors Ltd. v. The E.I.E Project Ltd/GTE & Anor. (2022) CLRN 63, the Court of Appeal held that a “private body or company would be as accountable as a public institution or body under the Act if it has provided any form of public services, or performed any form of public function or utilized public funds.

“In view of the foregoing, you are advised to accede to our request in order to assure the Nigerian people that the contract sum of $1.5 billion has been judiciously utilised for the rehabilitation of the Port Harcout refineries,” he said.

However, reacting to his letter on Thursday, Muyiwa Ogungbenro and OLAJIDE OYEWOLE LLP acknowledged the Falana’s  letter, promising him to provide the needed information on or before 2 October 2024.

“We are counsel to Maire Tecnimont SpA, and we have our client’s instruction to let you know that they have received your letters dated 17 and 24 September 2024 requesting for information on the contract between our client and Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd.

“Our client is considering your letters and they intend to get back to you on or before 2 October 2024.”