Ministry of Interior, Public Safety and Decentralization (Niger)
Encyclopedia
The Ministry of Interior, Public Safety and Decentralization of the Government of Niger
is the government authority responsible for policing, internal security and the ongoing process of decentralization of authority to the Regions
, Departments
, and Communes of Niger
. The National Police
and Paramilitary FNIS report to the Interior minister. Unlike the Interior ministry in some nations, courts, Justice, and prosecution are handled by the Ministry of Justice of Niger. The Civil Defense Directorate, which coordinates disaster, fire, and civil defense responses nationwide reports to the Ministry of the Interior. The Ministry of the Interior is headed by the Minister of State for the Interior, Public Safety and Decentralization, a political appointment who sits in the Council of Ministers of Niger
, reporting directly to the President of Niger.
), the Directorate of General Affairs and Transborder Administrative Cooperation ( Direction des Affaires Générales et de la Coopération Administrative Transfront), and the Directorate of Decentralisation (Direction de la décentralisation et du contentieux territorial).
-- who was chosen and answered to the Ministry—was taken over by the Communes of Niger
, as well as the Departments and Regions. The Ministry of Interior still appoints prefects, but they play a much more limited role, as local representatives of national government. In some largely uninhabited areas, especially those in the Sahara Desert, the Interior Ministry still appoints heads of Postes Administratif (Administrative Posts). Previously drawn from the Military of Niger
they now are officers of the FNIS.
Government of Niger
The government of Niger is the apparatus through which authority functions and is exercised: the governing apparatus of Nigerien state. The current system of governance, since the Constitution 18 July 1999, is termed the Fifth Republic of Niger. It is a semi-presidential republic, whereby the...
is the government authority responsible for policing, internal security and the ongoing process of decentralization of authority to the Regions
Regions of Niger
||Niger is divided into 7 Regions . Each department's capital is the same as its name.-Current regions:*Agadez Region*Diffa Region*Dosso Region*Maradi Region*Tahoua Region*Tillabéri Region*Zinder Region...
, Departments
Departments of Niger
||The Regions of Niger are subdivided into 63 Departments . Before the devolution program on 1999-2005, these Departments were styled arrondissements. Confusingly, the next level up had, before 2002-2005 been styled Departments. Prior to a revision in 2011, there had been 36 Departments. A draft...
, and Communes of Niger
Communes of Niger
The Departments of Niger are subdivided into communes. As of 2005, in the seven Regions and one Capital Area, there were 36 départements, divided into 265 communes, 122 cantons and 81 groupements...
. The National Police
National Police (Niger)
The National police of Niger are one of two Police forces, previously under the control of the Armed Forces of Niger, but following the Constitution of 1999, come under the control of the Ministry of the Interior...
and Paramilitary FNIS report to the Interior minister. Unlike the Interior ministry in some nations, courts, Justice, and prosecution are handled by the Ministry of Justice of Niger. The Civil Defense Directorate, which coordinates disaster, fire, and civil defense responses nationwide reports to the Ministry of the Interior. The Ministry of the Interior is headed by the Minister of State for the Interior, Public Safety and Decentralization, a political appointment who sits in the Council of Ministers of Niger
Council of Ministers of Niger
The Cabinet of Niger is made up of the appointed heads of Niger's government Ministries. Ministers are chosen from the elected members of the National Assembly of Niger...
, reporting directly to the President of Niger.
Interior
Interior and border control, including some policing duties, are carried out through the General Directorate of Territorial Administration (Direction Générale de l’Administration Territoriale), which consists of the eight Regional Governorates (now administrative posts, previously the appointed governors of the eight regions) (see Regions of NigerRegions of Niger
||Niger is divided into 7 Regions . Each department's capital is the same as its name.-Current regions:*Agadez Region*Diffa Region*Dosso Region*Maradi Region*Tahoua Region*Tillabéri Region*Zinder Region...
), the Directorate of General Affairs and Transborder Administrative Cooperation ( Direction des Affaires Générales et de la Coopération Administrative Transfront), and the Directorate of Decentralisation (Direction de la décentralisation et du contentieux territorial).
Public safety
"Public Safety" was appended to the title in 2004 when the National Police and FNIS were transfer to the Interior Ministry from the Defense Ministry of Niger.Decentralization
Decentralization was appended to the title by the 1999 constitution. The Minister of Interior in previous governments was the head of local government institutions. Following the move to decentralize government powers in the 1990s, most of the duties of the local appointed PrefectPrefect
Prefect is a magisterial title of varying definition....
-- who was chosen and answered to the Ministry—was taken over by the Communes of Niger
Communes of Niger
The Departments of Niger are subdivided into communes. As of 2005, in the seven Regions and one Capital Area, there were 36 départements, divided into 265 communes, 122 cantons and 81 groupements...
, as well as the Departments and Regions. The Ministry of Interior still appoints prefects, but they play a much more limited role, as local representatives of national government. In some largely uninhabited areas, especially those in the Sahara Desert, the Interior Ministry still appoints heads of Postes Administratif (Administrative Posts). Previously drawn from the Military of Niger
Military of Niger
The Niger Armed Forces comprises both the military and national police services of the West African nation of Niger, totaling around 12,000 active personnel and 5,000 reservists...
they now are officers of the FNIS.
Previous heads of Ministry
Below is a partial list of Interior Ministry chiefs (Minister of the Interior of Niger):- Albadé AboubaAlbadé AboubaAlbadé Abouba is a Nigerien politician who has been the Secretary-General of the National Movement for the Development of Society since 2009. He served in the government of Niger as Minister of the Interior from 2002 to 2004 and again from 2007 to 2010...
1 March 2007 -- - Mounkaïla Mody 30 December 2004—1 March 2007
- Albadé AboubaAlbadé AboubaAlbadé Abouba is a Nigerien politician who has been the Secretary-General of the National Movement for the Development of Society since 2009. He served in the government of Niger as Minister of the Interior from 2002 to 2004 and again from 2007 to 2010...
9 November 2002—20 December 2004 - Laoualy Amadou 17 September 2001—9 November 2002
- Mahamane Manzo 5 January 2000—17 December 2001
- Lieutenant colonel Boureïma Moumouni 16 April 1999—5 January 2000
- Military council 9 April 1999—16 April 1999
- Souley AbdoulayeSouley AbdoulayeSouley Abdoulaye is a Nigerien politician. He served as the Prime Minister of Niger from 28 September 1994 to 8 February 1995. He later served in the government under President Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara as Minister of Transport from 1996 to 1997 and then as Minister of the Interior, in charge of...
1 December 1997—9 April 1999 - Idi Ango Omar 23 August 1996—1 December 1997
- Military council 27 January 1996—23 August 1996
- Mamadou Tandja 1990—1991
- Mamadou Tandja 1979—1981