Noom Hotel case : The truth of the government of Benin

For a few days, the demolition of the Noom Hotel by the Beninese state is in the headlines. To situate each other on this burning file, the minister of communication, Government spokesperson, Alain Orounla made a media release on Tuesday 22 last september.

Damien TOLOMISSI

Mute since on this case, the Beninese government broke the silence. According to the Minister of Communication, the demolition of the receptive Noom hotel Cotonou responds to a logic of reappropriation of a State domain. "This entrepreneur approached the Beninese authorities in 2010, and obtained from them the concession of a vast area of 2 hectares in the seaside area of ​​the convention center, the real estate value of which you know, the market value, in return for a modest and cursed royalty of 3 millions 800 thousand fcfa per year ", said Alain Orounla.

According to the spokesperson for the Benin government,  despite all the customs and tax advantages granted to the promoter of this hotel receptive, he did not respect the commitments made under the contract. "At the end of the contracts, the work should be completed within 30 months after the signing of this emphyteutic lease, which took place on 29 June 2012. This time elapsed, nothing has been done. The promoter has been approached, revived, to perform this contract, still nothing "he said while adding" Under these conditions, the state must recover in the interest of our country and our economy, this vast area of 2 hectares that could be used for something else rather than a base for a nebulous operation ”. Although the promoter "is at fault" in this file, the State of Benin, says the Minister of Communication offered him compensation, "Financial support so as not to give the impression of dispossessing someone."

The case before the courts ....

According to Financial Afrik, the Ivorian-Senegalese businessman, Yérim Sow brought the dispute between him and the State of Benin before two international courts, more precisely, the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (CIRDI) in Washington and before the OHADA Common Court of Justice and Arbitration (CCJA-OHADA) in Abidjan. The next ones will situate us on which party will be right in this case.