Benue indigenes have raised alarm over the state government’s signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with an America-based company, Juma International.
According to Governor Samuel Ortom, the signing of the $1 billion agro-allied deal was geared towards achieving his administration’s objective of wealth creation for the Benue people.
However, background checks on the American company has left little to be desired. A concerned indigene who requested anonymity said things looked fishy with the company.
He said: “As an agric enthusiasts, I checked the company out. Quite true its a U.S based company but every other thing about it smells funny. For one, its registered address in U.S (1712 Pioneer Ave Ste 1504, Cheyenne, 82001, WY, USA.) has got a publication tittled ” a little house of secrets”. That address belongs to a law firm doing business on the cayman islands. I smell financial fraud.”
Another questioned the credentials of the company in handling such deal involving huge amount of money having only been registered less than a year ago with no evidence of requisite capacity.
“There is Juma International, LLC that was formed on the 17th of November 2015, just last year, registered with Wyoming Corporations Division with registration number: USWY000699753. There are no officers listed for this company nor are there any accounts listed for this company. This company has not been issued any license from an industry specific regulator to operate, even though none may be required, but if it is the same company that has signed a billion dollar MoU with Benue State government, how can it raise so much money and manage such an account when it is not even a year old and appears not to have handled any other business. The legal registered office for this company is: 1712 Pioneer Avenue Ste 1504 Cheyenne, WY, 82001.”
Benue State government under the leadership of Governor Samuel Ortom has signed no less than 20 Memoranda of Understanding with foreign companies largely Chinese, however, some over a year ago without any concrete materialization.
Reacting to the matter, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Terver Akase, played down concerns stating the difference between an MoU and a contract.
He said the government could afford to sign MoUs at will with any firm but are not legally bound to followup with a contract with that particular firm.
“An MoU is just a document for two parties to reach a decision, a form of prelude to a formal contract. While an MoU does not contain enforceable legal terms, a contract does. So a government can afford to sign an MoU with company A but eventually not award the contract to the firm, owing perhaps to factors that later made such a deal not sail through.” Akase explained.

why you worry yoursef?
let them eat the money.

if they can eat lies, fake dollar will taste like moin moin to them.