Niger's President Mamadou Tandja on Saturday swore in a 32-member new cabinet led by Prime Minister Seyni Oumarou, 10 days after a corruption scandal toppled the government, according to reports from Niger's capital Niamey.

A total of 19 ministers retained their place in the new cabinet, including Economy and Finance Minister Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine, Foreign Minister Aichatou Mindaoudou and Interior Minister Albade Abouba.

Jida Hamadou was appointed as the new Defense Minister.

There are seven female ministers in the new government, but no members from the opposition.

The opposition said it had declined an invitation to join the government from Oumarou, because it suspected he could be linked to the corruption scandal.

Oumarou was named as prime minister by Tandja last Sunday after the National Assembly passed a non-confidence vote against the government on May 31 amid the mismanagement of funds scandal involving Prime Minister Hama Amadou.

Source: Xinhua