Morocco's King Mohammed VI dismissed Wednesday Mohammed Boussaid from his position as minister of economy and finances, the king's office announced in a statement.

The statement said the king took this decision after consulting with Prime Minister Saad Eddine El Othmani.

According to the statement, this decision is an implementation of the principle of accountability that the king is seeking to apply to all officials regardless of their ranking or affiliation.

Boussaid is the fifth minister to be fired by the king in less than one year.

King Mohammed VI dismissed last October four ministers over their involvement in delays of development projects in the northern city of Al Hoceima. The city was the epicenter of a mass protest movement that started in October 2016 and lasted for nearly ten months.

The dismissed were ministers of education, health, housing and a secretary of state in charge of vocational training.

Xinhua