Benin: police officers urged to crack down on encroachment on public space

In a new official statement, the ministry led by Alassane Séidou has instructed the Republican Police to act in a coordinated manner with municipal and local authorities in order to put an end to the chaotic occupation of public space.

According to the communiqué, the disorderly occupation of public spaces previously cleared undermines modernization and security efforts.

The statement highlights the persistence of several practices deemed illegal: the chaotic circulation of handcarts on paved roads and sidewalks, the display of used tires along major thoroughfares, street hawking, the erection of makeshift urinals, and the roaming of domestic animals.

These behaviors, the authorities lament, disrupt traffic, create risks for public safety and public health, and generate pollution harmful to the environment.

According to the ministry, this amounts to a continual violation of several components of public order, namely: security, tranquility, and public hygiene.