Gabon: Oligui Nguema threatens to reshuffle ministers covering corruption

Gabonese President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema has threatened to promptly reshuffle any minister who covers up corrupt practices, is associated with them, or fails to deliver expected results. The warning was issued during the Council of Ministers meeting held on September 18 in Port-Gentil.

According to the Gabonese Press Agency, Oligui Nguema specifically targeted administrative inertia, bribery, demands for illicit kickbacks, and unjustified delays in processing files. The president warned that the ministers involved “risk an immediate reshuffle.”

The official statement from the Council of Ministers confirms the hardening of the presidential rhetoric. The head of state asserts that no leniency will be tolerated regarding corruption, overbilling, unjustified delays in project execution, and investments deemed lacking in real utility.

This warning follows decisions made by the Superior Council of the Judiciary. Oligui Nguema expressed satisfaction with the firmness shown in favor of integrity and transparency, while the AGP reports that three judges’ dismissals have been considered. The president indicated that this momentum should now extend to all sectors of public administration.

In Port-Gentil, the government directly links this demand for governance to economic recovery. The head of state highlighted youth unemployment, the decline of certain activities, and the effects of corruption on investor confidence. The announced projects in Ogooué-Maritime represent a projected effort of 30 billion FCFA and could generate approximately 7,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Oligui Nguema has urged government members to collaborate with their decentralized services to assess the implementation of public policies in the province. He also announced a one-week extension of his stay in Ogooué-Maritime.