afrol News, 19 November - According to a recent investigation made by the journal 'Afrique Education', a total of 21 Ministers in the government of Equatorial Guinea are from within the close family of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. His new government has 50 Ministers, one for each 10,000 Equatoguinean citizen.
President and dictator Obiang has often been accused of ruling the impoverished country through a small clan from his birthplace Mongomo, which is gathering all state revenues into their private accounts. A new "survey" shows that the accusations are truer than previously believed.
The journal 'Afrique Education' recently had a look at all Equatoguinean Ministers and their family ties. Almost half were not only from the "Mongomo clan", but also close relatives to Mr Obiang. Most relatives were even in senior positions.
The President's firstborn son - Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, or "Teodorín", as the reputed playboy is called among Equatoguineans - is Minister of Forestry. He thus controls the country's second most important natural resource and export revenue source. "Teodorín" is widely believed to be the preferred successor of President Obiang.
While the position of "Teodorín" is widely known, it is less known that a younger son of the President, Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima, also holds a cabinet post. Gabriel is Deputy Minister of Mining and Oil, thus assuring the family's direct control over the country's most important revenue source. Little is known about where Equatorial Guinea's huge oil revenues are directed, only that they do not end up on national budget.
President Obiang has also placed two of his brothers as head of the armed forces and the police. As is the case of the Head of State, his elder and younger brother have achieved the most honourable rank of "general". Two other relatives, one uncle and one cousin, also hold the double titles of general and minister.
Totally, the list of Obiang relatives in government includes two sons, two brothers, four uncles, seven cousins, two nephews, two brothers-in-law and two sisters-in-law. In particular the ministries in charge of national security, natural resources and finance are dominated by the Obiang family.
Also his predecessor and uncle - Macías Nguema Biyogo, who was toppled and killed by President Obiang in 1979 - mostly ruled through members of his extended family. By making his nephew Teodoro army chief of staff, if turned out later, he however had made a fatal mistake.
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afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.
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