AKPONNA CASE: the HCPC presents the conclusions of its audit of the water and electricity projects in Parakou

AKPONNA CASE: the HCPC presents the conclusions of its audit of the water and electricity projects in Parakou

The Haut-Commissariat à la Prévention de la CorruptionHCPC) (High Commission for Corruption Prevention) has released the findings of its audit of public investment projects in the water and electricity sectors carried out in the commune of Parakou between 2016 and 2025. This initiative follows serious allegations of embezzlement recently relayed in public opinion.

In the presence of political and administrative figures, representatives of the diplomatic corps, international organizations, civil society and the media, the High Commissioner for Corruption Prevention made public the conclusions of his investigations, conducted with rigor and independence.

It all started with a statement, on June 21, 2025, by a former member of the government, denouncing alleged misappropriation of funds linked to drinking water and electrical power projects in the town of Parakou. Faced with these accusations, the HCPC acted promptly in accordance with law n°2020-09 of April 23, 2020, by launching an in-depth verification mission to clarify and identify any shortcomings.

At the end of the mission, the results were clear: there was no evidence of misappropriation of public funds during the period in question. The 31.6 billion FCFA invested in these projects - excluding funding for the MCA-Benin II program - were used in accordance with the initial objectives. These investments have significantly improved access to drinking water and electricity for the people of Parakou:

• The drinking water distribution network increased from 445 km to 1,141 km (+156%).
• Water production capacity increased from 400 m³/h to 2,400 m³/h (+500%).
• The number of drinking water customers rose by 70%, from 16,537 to 28,193.
• Several boreholes have been drilled to serve outlying areas.
• The number of electricity customers rose from 26,756 to 49,200 (+84%).
• Local power generation capacity of 12 MW has been restored.

Despite this performance, structural shortcomings were identified by the Audit Commission:

1. Imprecise definition of needs in procurement plans;
2. A lack of qualified staff in the sector ministry's Permanent Secretariat for Public Procurement;
3. Instability in the role of the Person Responsible for Public Procurement (PRMP);
4. And cumbersome local procedures, such as the opening of access roads, slowed down the work.

Recommendations for better governance

To correct these weaknesses, the Commission recommends :

1. A reform of public procurement procedures for greater speed and transparency;
2. Accelerated development of outlying districts;
3. The creation of anti-corruption focal units within the relevant ministries for early warning.

These recommendations are part of a drive to consolidate gains in good governance and corruption prevention.

"The commitment of the Office of the High Commissioner for Corruption Prevention to promoting transparency and good governance remains unwavering," reaffirmed the High Commissioner. He praised the cooperation of the various players involved, and reiterated the HCPC 's willingness to work in synergy with technical and financial partners, civil society and the media.