Breach of Contractual agreement: Public Complaints Commission recovers businessman's N.5m from Church

The Federal Capital Territory's office of the Public Complaints Commission has recovered the sum of five hundred and twenty three thousand Naira (N523,000) belonging to one Mr. Moses Oche, a businessman based in Abuja from his debtor, the Christ Embassy Church, Durumi also in Abuja.

Mr. Oche had on 6^th November 2013 petitioned the Commission's Commissioner, Hon. Obunike Ohaegbu over what he described as the 'deliberate refusal' of the Church to pay him for the 421 square metres of carpet and 400 square metres of 'underlayer' foam he supplied to them on September 14,2013. According to him, the agreement with the Church, represented by Pastor Nancy Dike also included the installation of the carpet in the church with an assurance from them that he will be paid on Monday September 14 2013. He further alleged that on September 15, 2013 while the installation work was at about 98% completion, Pastor Nancy suddenly ordered him to remove the carpet claiming it was a sub-standard one. Mr. Oche told her that the carpet in question was still the same one they agreed on but such explanations fell on deaf ears as the Pastor insisted that he must remove the carpet and forfeit the payment. A bitter Mr. Oche approached the Commission to compel the Church to fulfil the contractual agreement he entered into with them.

The Commission's Commissioner, Hon.Ohaegbu directed that preliminary investigations be conducted to ascertain Mr. Oche's claims at the end of which he wrote the Church's Senior Pastor inviting him to a meeting at the Commission's office so that he can respond to the allegations levelled against his church by Mr. Oche. However, the Church on two different occasions refused to take delivery of the Commissioner's invitation letters. Irked by this development, the Commissioner issued summons to the Senior Pastor to appear before him on December 10, 2013. He eventually showed up and apologised for rejecting the Commissioner's letters. After listening to both parties,the Commissioner directed the Senior Pastor, represented by Pastors Nancy Dike and Kolapo Oluseye to pay Mr. Oche for the carpet he supplied to them and work done.

When the Church was not forthcoming with the payment as directed by the Commissioner, the Commissioner again invited the Senior Pastor to a meeting  on March 12,2014 to explain why they are yet to comply with his directive. The church through their counsel Barr. Gabriel Obunezi of the Obunezi and Obunezi Chambers on March 7 2014 wrote the Commissioner to inform him that they have agreed to comply with his directive to pay the sum of five hundred and twenty three thousand naira (N523,000) to Mr. Oche. On March 10, 2014 a Zenith Bank PLC cheque bearing the above sum and Oche's name was sent to the Commissioner by the Church to be given to Mr. Oche.

An elated Mr. Oche who came to the Commission's office to pick the cheque on March 12, 2014 in his appreciation letter wrote;

" I want to seize this opportunity to say thank you to the Honourable Commissioner, Public Complaints Commission FCT,for helping me to recover my money . . .  I say may the almighty God bless and reward you.”