Niamey, Aug 10 (EFE).- The military junta, which is in power after the coup d’état on July 26 in Niger, announced the formation of a new transitional government made up of 21 ministers, including six soldiers.
The leader of the junta calling itself the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Fatherland (CNSP), Brigadier General Abdourahamane Tiani, signed a decree with the composition of the members of the new government published last night by the public news agency ANP.
The new government is led by the economist and former minister Mahamane Lamine Zeine (appointed last Monday) who will also hold the Economy and Finance portfolio.
General Salifou Mody was chosen for the Ministry of Defense, and General Mohamed Toumba for the Interior, two important figures of the coup junta.
Meanwhile, Major Colonel Amadou Abdramane, CNSP spokesman, will occupy the Youth and Sports portfolio. The rest of the ministries occupied by the military are Health, Transportation and that of Water, Sanitation and Environment.
The appointment of the interim government occurs a few hours after a key meeting of the leaders of the Economic Council of West African States (ECOWAS) in Abuja (Nigeria) to study the situation in Niger after the expiration last Sunday of the ultimatum he gave the regional bloc to the coup leaders to restore constitutional order under the threat of possible military action. EFE
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