The initial ministerial decision targeted the port head as well as two senior executives of the public entity: Léopold Vincent Mopita, Director of Management Control and Budget, and Edmond Jean de Dieu Otsoa, Permanent Secretary of the Procurement Cell. Sanctioned on a precautionary basis for "gross misconduct," the officials were notified of their removal via a service note designating Serge César Bouya to serve as interim Director General.

The Head of Government's reprimand was swift. In an official correspondence dated November 3, 2026, addressed to the Minister of Transport, Anatole Collinet Makosso issued a firm administrative veto, demanding the immediate withdrawal of the dismissal service notes "without delay." The Prime Minister grounded his arbitration in a strict administrative law principle: the disciplinary power to suspend and appoint an interim replacement falls exclusively to the authority vested with the power of appointment to senior state positions. Citing the provisions of Law No. 2-2018 of February 5, 2018, determining the terms of appointment to civil and military functions, combined with Decree No. 2018-350 and the 2022 texts governing government operations, the Prime Minister's office pointed to a flagrant violation of current legal procedures.

Beyond the legal battle, this standoff highlights the strategic sensitivity of the Autonomous Port of Pointe-Noire, the country's logistical lung and a major maritime gateway for the CEMAC zone. By demanding a detailed report on the grievances held against the port's management, the Prime Minister seeks to neutralize any risk of operational instability or legal insecurity likely to affect the functioning of port facilities and relations with international partners.


Nlend Flore

Tags: congo pointe-noire port autonome suspension directeur general premier ministre anatole collinet makosso droit administratif cemac gouvernance portuaire