“30 million affair” / Use of public funds for private purposes: a parliamentary investigation on the heels of Louis Vlavonou, president of the National Assembly

The President of the National Assembly of Benin has not finished with the concerns linked to what should be called "30 million affair". And for good reason, he will have to face a parliamentary investigation.

Louis Vlavonou, the head of the Beninese legislature will have to justify himself on a matter worth more than thirty million revealed during the plenary on Tuesday April 23, 2024. While the President of the National Assembly submitted his activity report from May 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024, it was revealed that the sum of more than thirty million CFA francs was used to renovate and equip his courtroom and his private home. The disbursement of this fund from the public coffers must be clarified. This is the position of around thirty deputies who without delay formulated a request today, April 30, 2024, for the creation of a parliamentary commission of inquiry. In a letter placed on the table of the president of parliament, the applicants indicated that they had heard that “other private charges of yours (President Louis Vlavonou, editor's note) were taken into account by the budget of the National Assembly ".

 

The parliamentarians who requested this parliamentary investigation are keen to ensure the transparency of the fund used by President Louis Vlavonou. This is why, they argue, the creation in the short term of a commission of inquiry is the only window which will situate the national representation and will also allow the Beninese people to be clear about it. MPs Nourénou Atchadé, Éric Houndété and other signatories of this request do not intend to fail in their mission by leaving the management of taxpayers' money unjustified. They want to “understand and appreciate the ins and outs of these expenses”. It remains to be seen when the commission of inquiry will see the light of day and the results that will come from its investigations.