BREAKING NEWS
Association Of Melina Allottees Accuses Its Coordinator, Umez Of N15m Fraud
The Association of Melina Allottees in Ondo State
has raised the alarm over an alleged N15 Million fraud perpetrated by the West
Africa Forest Plantation Limited.
The Association fingered the Project Coordinator of
West Africa Afforestation Project in the state , Mr. Weluche Umez of extorting unsuspecting
members of the union under false Pretence.
But, Umez has dismissed the group’s allegations,
adding that they paid money into the West Africa Forest Plantation Limited’s
account without the company’s approval.
The group in a, “Save our Soul” message to Governor
Oluwarotimi Akeredolu said , Umez has threatened to teach them a lesson if they
ever demanded for their money.
According to the Chairman of the group, Mr.
Oloruntobi Kehinde – Mayegun, Umez has made good his threats by earlier
arresting them and falsely accusing them of Kidnap and rape.
Kehinde – Mayegun who disclosed that a petition has
been sent to the Inspector General of Police and the State Commissioner of
Police alleged that their lives were in danger.
He narrated, “We have been legally operating within
the OA1 Oluwa Forest Reserve in Ondo State and have been legally operating
within the forest reserve over the years with state Government Licence through
the Ministry of Natural Resources
“We have been habitually complied with the rules and
regulations laid down by the Ondo State Ministry of Natural Resources with
mutual understanding and without short-Changing the state Government of its
necessary fees and revenue
“But, sometimes in February 2017, we heard the news
that the said OA1 Oluwa Forest Reserve had been concessioned to West Africa
Forest Plantations Limited by the Ondo State Government under the
Administration of Dr. Olusegun Mimiko following the Memorandum /Agreement dated
22nd of February, 2017 which was the eve of the end of its tenure
“Upon the execution of the agreement, the West
Africa Forest Plantation Limited took immediate possession and stopped us from
any further operation thereon including those of us with valid permits
“Thereafter, one of the operators of the company
(West Africa Forest Plantation Limited ) called Umez invited us with false
representation that Ondo State Government has given him power to allocate both
the Melina, teak and other indigenous trees to our members.
“He fraudulently collected over 15 million Naira
from us with promise that he would allocate trees to us. After the Umez
collected the money, it was discovered that the Ondo State Government never
gave Umez power to sell trees to anybody
“It was further revealed that Umez the operator of
West Africa Forest Plantation Limited has conducted himself in a manner that
will lead to the break down of law and order in the host communities as he had
mobilized some armed thugs and hoodlums from some parts of the country who are
currently threatening the lives of the people throughout the host communities
surrounding the OA1 Oluwa Forest Reserve
“He is boasting that he would order his thugs to
teach us a lesson of our lives if we ever demanded the refund of the money
which he fraudulently collected from us.”
However, it was gathered that the former
administration signed an MoU with West Africa Forest Plantation Limited to rid
the state forest of encroachers and also plant trees with an investment of $12
million.
But, the Melina Allottees in the state accused Umez
of receiving money running into N100M from other groups in the timber business
in the State.
“Contrary to the agreement with the State
Government, the project officer engage in extortion of money and defrauding
innocent citizen of millions at the detriment of the state government. Instead
of planting Malina tree, Mr Umez has been obtaining millions from Encroachers.
” Mr Umez single handedly opened an account where he
was saving fund which he collected from flichers and indigenous contractors and
encrouchers running to N100million, without remitting same to the state
government. He also defrauded people by collecting their money and stopping
them from operation,” the group alleged.
Umez in a telephone chat with DAILY POST said the
allegations against him were not exactly true . He accused the Melina Allottees
of attacking the forest and destroying the company’s facilities there.
He said, ‘We are concessionaires of the forest, the
forest was concessioned last year. The allegation they are making is not exactly
correct . They attacked the facility on the 1st of March, and drove away all
the workers there and threatened they were going to return with arms and
ammunition.
‘They also destroyed some of the company’s property
in doing so , as a result of which I reported the matter to the Commissioner of
Police of Ondo state . So, l made a statement with the police and I wrote a
petition to the Commissioner of police actually, I can make the petition
available to you.
‘The matter is before the police. Yes, monies were
paid into the company’s account, without our approval. They paid money into our
account at their instance, they now turned round and went into the forest and
begin to cart away woods. When we tried to stop them, they started attacking
us.”
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