Speaking candidly on Peace FM’s Sunday program De Vous à Nous, trade unionist Anselme Amoussou sounded the alarm over growing poverty, the controversial reform of the Economic and Social Council (CES), and the stifling of social dialogue in Benin.
In the exclusive interview, the Secretary General of CSA-Benin criticized what he described as an “ultraliberal” governance model disconnected from the country’s social realities.
“We’ve gotten poorer,” he stated bluntly, citing data to support his claims. While official statistics put the poverty rate at around 30%, international institutions estimate it to exceed 40%. For Amoussou, these figures reflect a deeply concerning social regression. He condemned a system that prioritizes infrastructure over human development. “When these are the realities on the ground, governance must be human-centered,” he insisted.
A broken institution?
Amoussou also questioned the relevance of social dialogue mechanisms. He lamented the ineffectiveness of the Economic and Social Council, of which he was a member for five years. “Not a single response—not even an acknowledgment of receipt—for the reports sent to the executive,” he revealed.
He fiercely criticized the reform of the CES, which he believes has strayed from its founding mission. “Today, the President of the Republic is the only one authorized to appoint the head of the CES. That turns the institution into a political bargaining chip,” he said. In his words, the CES has become nothing more than a “refuge for idle politicians.”
Turning to the role of Parliament, Amoussou argued that lawmakers have failed in their responsibility to serve as a check on executive power. “Someone may try to harm citizens, but there should be people brave and clear-headed enough to say no,” he stated.
Amoussou called for a deep institutional and democratic overhaul. “We’ve shifted from what was called a technocratic regime to a fully politicized one,” he declared. For the union leader, it is urgent to place citizens back at the center of governance.