In Gabon, the controversy swells after the easing of containment measures in Libreville

A view of Libreville in Gabon (illustration image) Getty Images

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Civil society and the opposition accuse the government of having organized chaos by easing its foot. The government is also accused of poorly distributing food aid, which forces Gabonese to go out en masse to get food. The Gabonese Prime Minister, Julien Nkoghé Békalé wanted to provide clarifications.

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With our correspondent in Libreville, Yves-Laurent Goma

Prime Minister Julien Nkoghé Békalé explained why, a little to everyone's surprise, the government decided to partially deconfinate Libreville and its surroundings: "  We cannot continue to confine the populations of Greater Libreville any longer without risk of explosion social. We chose realism, because our socio-economic realities are such that most of our populations live in an informal economy and live from day to day.  "

For the time being, the government does not envisage a new total containment of Libreville as announced on social networks. Nkoghé Békalé also ensures that all families living in poverty will receive the food aid promised by President Ali Bongo: “  No Gabonese will be abandoned. We will reach our target and distribute food aid to the 60,000 households that have been identified.  "

The Prime Minister also made a point of reassuring the 954 Gabonese stranded abroad: “  I would like to reassure our compatriots abroad that they are not forgotten, that they are not abandoned. The President of the Republic instructed the government to find a solution very quickly. We are working on it.  "

As for a return to a normal life, Julien Nkoghé Békalé advises the Gabonese to continue to respect all the barrier measures until the discovery of a vaccine.

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  • Gabon
  • Confinement
  • Coronavirus

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