Benin: Paulin Akponna officially fired after his revelations in Parakou
Announced early this morning by the media, it is now official. By presidential decree n°2025-327 dated June 26, 2025, Paulin Akponna has been dismissed from his duties as Minister of Energy, Water and Mines, less than a week after his shocking statements about suspected embezzlement of public funds. He is replaced by José Tonato, who will now be in charge of this portfolio in addition to his current responsibilities as Minister of Living Environment and Transportation, responsible for Sustainable Development.
SUMMARY
By decree n°2025-327 of June 26, 2025, the President of the Republic, Mr. Patrice TALON, proceeded to a technical reshuffle of his Government after consultation with the Bureau of the National Assembly, in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.
As a result, Mr. José TONATO is appointed Minister of Energy, Water and Mines, concurrently with his duties as Minister of Living Environment and Transport, in charge of Sustainable Development.
The rest of the Government remains unchanged, the holders of other ministerial portfolios remain in their positions.
It all changed in Parakou, on Saturday, June 21, 2025. During his visit to this strategic city in the North, Paulin Akponna didn’t mince his words. According to him, tens of billions of FCFA allocated to water and electricity were “siphoned off”, which would explain the glaring absence of basic services for the population. He pointed to “delinquents of the Republic” accused of having concealed this situation from President Patrice Talon. The Minister then promised imminent sanctions, announcing that the culprits of embezzlement would “answer for their management”.
These comments, made in a serious and unfiltered tone, caused a shockwave. Because behind the words, it was a direct accusation against the management of the Ministry… which he himself had been leading since January 2025. And above all, an admission of failure or complicity within the presidential movement.
A solo outing with heavy consequences
According to several observers, the form and timing of this declaration surprised the government’s top officials. No preliminary audit, no publicized investigation, no person specifically named… just a brutal spotlight on a serious dysfunction. Officially, Akponna was speaking on behalf of the Republic, but his speech also bore the hallmarks of a targeted political denunciation, in an area where internal rivalries within the Republican Bloc are particularly intense.
Indeed, Akponna replaced last January Samou Séïdou Adambi, former Minister of Energy and influential member of the BR, sanctioned for “solitary acts” judged against the interests of the party. Akponna’s words in Parakou were therefore interpreted as a direct charge against his predecessor, which revives tensions that the party thought it had calmed down.
Also read: Paulin Akponna’s statements in Parakou: what reactions for the Republican Bloc?
This development occurs as the opposition, led by the party The Democrats, has just submitted a resolution to Parliament to set up a parliamentary inquiry commission. The goal is to thoroughly examine the accusations made by Akponna and shed light on the management of resources of the Ministry of Energy, Water, and Mines, particularly in Parakou.
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