Projected Shake-Up In Governors’ Corps and Correction Of “Mistake” In Appointing Tourism Minister

Behind the recent governmental change and the announcement of its new composition, vacancy positions in the strategic institutions notably in four governorships remain unfulfilled after the nomination of four Governors as ministers in addition to the nomination of a new tourism minister in replacement of Messaoud Benagoun after the abrupt removal from his post owing to his failing record.

 The announcement, which has come out of nowhere, was a surprise to all observers of political life, as well as to the person concerned. 

The latter reportedly learned of his dismissal on television after having held his ministerial post for just half a day.

The government change that followed the May 4th legislative polls imposes now an acceleration of the announcement of the impending shake-up in the corps of Walis or Governors in several provinces of the country. 

The President is also required to make new appointments at the helm of major strategic bodies and institutions, using the names that were supervised as alternatives as part of the nominations in the new Governmental team. 

As a result, the new Governors’ nominations expected to be carried out shortly by the head of state concern the provinces of Oran, Tlemcen, Annaba and Blida, which are major provinces in terms of housing density, projects and problems as well.

The vacancy situation created by the governmental change, and the appointment of secretaries-general to the administration of state affairs hasn’t occurred for the first time, and is likely to be a major factor in the speeding up of the expected shake-up movement  in the Governors’ corps. 

This will be different to  the 2013 Government change in which former Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal  included four Governors in his governmental team hailing from the provinces of Oran, Annaba, Constantine and Tlemcen.

The vacuum then continued for almost two months from the beginning of September to the end of October.

The announcement of the new government headed by Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune has also led to vacancy in two important positions with on focus the head of the Sonelegaz oil and electricity Company, Mustapha Guitouni, who was appointed as new Minister of Energy thus replacing his predecessor, Noureddine Bouterfa, and the senior post of Director General of Taxes formerly held by Mr Rouaia who has now become Finance Minister. 

The new government, which includes four Governors and four Deputies of the National People’s Assembly, the Director General of Taxation and the President of the National Company for Electricity and Gas, has thus whetted the appetite of many ambitious officials within the local communities.