The members of the Beninese government held their weekly meeting on Wednesday, January 31, 2024. During the council of ministers, presided over by the President of the Republic, His Excellency Patrice Athanase Guillaume Talon, several resolutions were adopted. Here is a comprehensive list of the decisions made.
The following decisions were made:
I – REGULATORY MEASURES.
I-1. Establishment of Cultural Preservation Agencies in Sociocultural Areas in the Republic of Benin.
The aim of creating these agencies is to promote the enhancement of the elements that constitute the heritage of the concerned areas, particularly oral traditions and expressions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe, as well as traditional craftsmanship, provided they do not contravene the laws and regulations in force.
Established in the form of a public institution with a social and scientific character, their main mission will be to develop, based on the guidance of the Government, plans for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage, in connection with communities, groups and/or individuals as appropriate. They will also be responsible for ensuring their implementation with a view to improving their contribution to the country’s socio-economic development.
There are four of these agencies:
- The Agency for the Preservation of Adja-Tado Culture;
- The Agency for the Preservation of Yoruba Culture;
- The Agency for the Preservation of Grand Borgou Culture;
- The Agency for the Preservation of Mountain Cultures.
It is important to note that they do not have physical territories of competence but cover socio-cultural spaces instead.
Once operational, these agencies, whose statutes have also been approved, will constitute a melting pot for the appropriation and valorization of our country’s intangible cultural heritage.
II-2. Methods of Carrying Out Community Service Work
Law No. 2018-16 of December 28, 2018, which constitutes the penal code in the Republic of Benin, includes certain innovations in terms of alternatives to detention.
Among these is community service, which aims to ensure the effective execution of certain sentences in an open environment and to facilitate the quick reintegration of convicts.
This decree sets out the terms of execution for the activities of convicts sentenced to community service as well as the nature of the proposed work and identifies the bodies responsible for its application.
The text clarifies that this sentence is carried out in compliance with legislative and regulatory prescriptions relating to night work, hygiene, security, including work by women and young people. It can be implemented concurrently with professional activity, provided that the combined duration of the paid employment and community service does not exceed 12 hours per day.
The ministers in charge of the file will undertake the necessary steps for its effective entry into force.
Among other normative measures, the following decrees were adopted for:
- Transmission to the National Assembly for ratification, of the World Trade Organization agreement on fisheries subsidies, adopted in Geneva in 2022;
- Examination and voting, of the draft law regulating banking in the Republic of Benin.
II- INDIVIDUAL MEASURES.
The following appointments have been announced:
Members of the Personal Data Protection Authority
- On behalf of the President of the Republic: Mr. Luciano HOUNKPONOU
- On behalf of the National Assembly: Madam and sirs
- Viviane OROU TAMA
- Charles TOKO
- Codjo Louis DOSSOU
- On behalf of the Bar Association: Mr. Friggens Jeffrey AJAVON
At the Ministry of Interior and Public Security
Permanent Secretary of the Interministerial Commission for the Fight against Drug Abuse and Psychotropic Substances: Mr. Didier ATCHOU
At the Ministry of National Defense
- Inspector General of the Armies: Colonel Boni Laga Bouraïma YACOUBOU
- Deputy Inspector General of the Armies: Intendant Militaire de 1ère Class Antoine HOUNKPE
- Deputy Chief of Staff of the Air Force: Colonel Hervé Sètondji ALLOTCHENOU
- Deputy Chief of Staff of the National Navy: Captain Siemba Emile SAMA
- Director of Military Security: Colonel Idrissou SOULE CHABI
- Director of Armies’ Participation in Development and Public Interest Tasks: Colonel Codjo Saturnin OBELAKOU
- Director of Information Systems: Major Oyédélé Moïse OSSE
- Deputy Central Director of Military Engineering: Lieutenant Colonel Phillipe Néri ALI
At the Ministry of Sports
- Chief of Staff: Mr. Crépin OKOUOLOU
- Technical Advisor for Youth, Leisure, and Disability Sports: Mr. Ahmed TAOFIK
- Technical Advisor for Sports, concurrently with his current position: Mr. Djessounounkon Basile AGBODJOGBE
- Inspector General of the Ministry: Mr. Sèmako Alfred HODONOU
- Deputy Inspector General of the Ministry: Mr. Bienvenu ALLADASSI
- Director of Sports and Socio-Educational Infrastructures: Mr. Rodrigue TOFFOUN.
Done at Cotonou, on January 31, 2024,
The Secretary-General of the Government,
Edouard OUIN-OURO.
