Voters in Benin will head to the polls on May 17 for municipal and communal elections after a decision to that effect was made by the latest Council of Ministers meeting on Wednesday.
By Ulvaeus Balogoun
According to the Alain Orounla, the Minister of Communication, who also doubles as government spokesman, it is in view of the renewal of communal and municipal councils installed since 28 June 2015 and in application of the law, that a decree calling for the electoral body to be convened on Sunday 17 May 2020 was adopted by the Council of Ministers.
In addition to the recalling the electorate, the cabinet instructed for the availability of ministers whose services will be required in the delivery of the documents necessary for the constitution of candidacy files, to the effect that they facilitate the task of applicants.
“The essential document to be facilitated and which had caused controversy, is the one on fiscal spending” said the minister during a press briefing.
“The President of the Republic has given instructions to those in charge of the tax administration so that this fiscal discharge is systematically delivered to those who would make the request even if the amounts due to the tax administration at the time of the delivery of the discharge are brought to the attention of these candidates and these amounts recovered” the minister added.
According to him, this measure was envisaged “to avoid exclusions” and especially to allow for the collection of taxes.
UB/cgd/lb/as/APA