Benin: The National Assembly asked to ratify the replacement of a government member
A change of direction is shaping up within the Benin government. The office of the National Assembly is said to have given its green light this Thursday, June 26, 2025, for the replacement of the Minister of Energy, Water, and Mines, Paulin Akponna, according to information reported by Bip Radio.
SUMMARY
This decision, following a request from President Patrice Talon addressed to the deputies, paves the way for a new ministerial adjustment.
The current Minister of Living Environment and Sustainable Development, José Didier Tonato, is said to have been proposed to succeed Paulin Akponna. He is expected to hold both ministerial portfolios, at least on a temporary basis. The change, although politically endorsed, will only come into force after the signing of a presidential decree in accordance with legal procedure.
A shortened term in a tense context
This departure comes less than six months after Paulin Akponna’s appointment, which took place on January 6, 2025, during a technical reshuffle of the government. He then replaced Samou Sèdou Adambi, who was ousted in the context of an internal crisis within the Republican Bloc (BR), a political party from which he was suspended from the governing bodies.
For several weeks, signs of tension surrounded Paulin Akponna’s actions at the head of the ministry. While on a trip to Parakou on Saturday, June 21, 2025, the minister did not mince his words, denouncing the repeated water and electricity cuts, which he attributed to mismanagement of public resources.
In front of a crowd of citizens, he mentioned an alleged embezzlement of several billion CFA francs allocated to government action program (PAG) projects, targeting unnamed local political actors. These remarks, considered particularly sharp, were perceived as an isolated outburst, or even a break with government policy.
According to the Fraternité newspaper, Paulin Akponna would have left his office on the morning of Thursday, June 26, without participating in a planned meeting with his cabinet. This hasty departure precedes the official act of his replacement.
If the presidential decree were to confirm his nomination, José Didier Tonato would inherit a strategic portfolio, in a context of high social expectations in terms of access to energy and drinking water. Already in charge of Living Environment and Sustainable Development, the minister is one of the most experienced members of the government team and has often been called upon for projects of high symbolic or technical significance.
His dual role will require close coordination between the two departments, unless a new reshuffle is initiated in the coming weeks to redistribute responsibilities.
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