Thursday, June 27, 2024
Porto Novo, Benin

“You don’t throw fishing nets on the asphalt,” protests Tite Kounasso, a 52-year-old fisherman living on the banks of the Porto-Novo lagoon who, like thousands of others, is soon to be forced to leave by the authorities because of an ecotourism project.
According to the authorities, the plan to develop the banks of Benin’s capital should boost tourism while preserving the environment.
However, it also involves the departure of part of the population living along the lagoon, strategically located between Lake Nokoué, just behind the economic capital Cotonou, and the huge Nigerian megalopolis of Lagos. Porto-Novo City Hall declined to give any figures on the number of inhabitants affected by this relocation.
Since coming to power in 2016, Beninese President Patrice Talon has launched several projects aimed at boosting the country’s tourist appeal.

A vast Agence française de développement (AFD) project, dubbed “Porto-Novo ville verte”, has already changed the lagoon landscape with the construction of a promenade and infrastructure improvements (lighting, roads, sanitation…). ), but it has only affected 135 inhabitants who have been “compensated and supported” in their resettlement, asserted Jérôme Bertrand-Hardy, AFD’s director in Benin, far fewer than the number of inhabitants who will be dislodged by the sanitation project led by the mayor’s office and the Beninese government.
“The aim is to revitalize and enhance the neighborhoods near the lagoon, and bring them back to life,” he explains.
Along the banks, Baptiste Berard Proust, a French tourist, is seduced by his walk and “the magnificent footbridge amidst the houses”. But he was dismayed to learn that “the people who live here are going to be cleared out”, which “distresses” him.

-No trade
The inhabitants of Porto-Novo’s lagoon banks, who live mainly from fishing, are in a state of anticipation.
“Ten months ago, the mayor’s office came to tell us that we had one month to leave, and we formed an association to defend ourselves against the danger. We’ve written to a number of people, but we’ve had no response,” explains 44-year-old fish farmer Léopold Padonou to AFP.
“According to our own census, we number around 1,000 households, or 5,000 people”, he says.
About two months ago, the town hall marked with a red cross the houses to be demolished, but “nobody gave us any details”, says Mr. Padonou, who was born and raised in this neighborhood.
He acknowledges that the development of the riverbanks has led to a marked improvement in infrastructure. “We now have lighting, the roads come to us, crosswalks exist… Infrastructure has been built for us to live well, but we’re not allowed to enjoy it and there’s already talk of eviction… To go where?” he asks.
“The lacustrian can live nowhere else but in the water. We haven’t learned any trade, so they should leave us on the bank,” says fisherman Tite Kounasso.

At the age of 62, Antoine Ababè Houssou dreamed of ending his days on this riverbank. “I’ve got nowhere to go if they take me out of here,” he says.
Agathe Gandonou, a fish and crab seller, doesn’t despair. “All our strength is in the water, and we’ll fight to stay here”, she declares vigorously amidst a group of locals.
Ange-Marie Esse, project manager for the international NGO Justice & Empowerment Initiatives, is determined to help these populations to have their rights respected, as she has already done in Nigeria and Senegal.
“We need to empower the community to defend itself. We want an agreement, a win-win partnership”, he maintains.
-Modern village
For the municipality of Porto-Novo, the project was initiated to put an end to the anarchic occupation of the riverbank and with a view to environmental preservation.
“It’s a climate change resilience project that aims to preserve Porto Novo’s natural riverbank while developing ecotourism,” explains Charlemagne Yankoty, the city’s mayor.
“All the city’s tourist infrastructures are under construction to enhance our attractiveness as a tourist destination”, he assures us.
As for the displaced populations, he assures us that the town council has already released one hundred million CFA francs (152,000 euros) to help them leave.

“Most of those occupying this bank are not owners, and they are too exposed to water-borne diseases,” pleads the mayor.
He also stresses that not everyone will be asked to leave, because “if we clear everyone out, the riverbank will lack life”.
The mayor assures us that a “modern fishing village” will soon be built, without giving details of the timetable or the number of people who will be rehoused there.

Humaniterre with AFP