Guinea's military dissolves government structures

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Guinea’s military junta has dug deeper by dissolving all structures of the nation’s government.

The military seized power in a coup in September 2021 and has refused to heed the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, to hand over power to civilians.

However, the military issued a presidential decree read on state TV on Monday by the presidency’s Secretary General, Brig Gen Amara Camara, to this effect.

Camara did not, however, disclose the reason for the dissolution or say when a new government will be put in place.

Ministers in the dissolved government were ordered to surrender their passports and official vehicles, with their bank accounts already frozen.

The junta also instructed security agencies to “seal” all the country’s borders until government ministries have been fully handed over to the junta.

Lower-level officials will temporarily manage state ministries until a new government is appointed, Mr Camara said.

The dissolved government was led by Bernard Goumou, who had been appointed prime minister by coup leader Mamady Doumbouya.

In September 2021, Col Doumbouya led Guinea’s armed forces to overthrow elected President Alpha Condé, after a series of protests over Mr Conde’s controversial bid for a third term.

Guinea and several other countries in West and central Africa have been hit by coups in recent years. Others include Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Gabon.

The coups have been strongly condemned by the West African regional bloc Ecowas, as well as the African Union and the UN.

Guinea is expected to hold elections to restore democratic rule in 10 months, when the 24-month transition period set by the junta and ECOWAS expires.