The dismissal comes at the request of Equatorial Guinean President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, who wants to reshape the executive and make it “more effective.”
Equatorial Guinea’s interim prime minister, Manuela Roka Botey, has resigned from the government en masse at the request of Equatorial Guinean President Teodoro Obiang Nguema in order to reshuffle the executive and make it “more effective,” according to an official source.
“The promises made to the people are a potential failure, which makes it necessary to reshuffle the government in order to try to form a more effective one. That is why we are asking for the resignation of the prime minister and we accept his resignation,” Obiang said, according to a statement issued on Friday evening by the Information and Press Office of that African country.
According to Obiang, who has ruled the country for 45 years, “excessive ambition for enrichment, concealment and misuse of resources are the focus of the government’s current situation.”
Equatorial Guinea is experiencing an “unprecedented economic crisis” and one of the reasons for this is the “lack of will” and the “excessive vices and abuses” of the current members of the Executive, according to the president.
“During the last election campaign, promises were made to the people that have not yet been fulfilled (…). There are imminent challenges, theories and preaching that do not lead to favorable results and are not sufficient to resolve the administrative actions expected of each department,” he added.
Regarding the financial situation in Equatorial Guinea, Obiang warned that he would take “drastic measures to resolve the possible collapse of the economy.” “The reserves are exhausted,” he said.
Roka Botey, for his part, justified the dismissal of his entire team with “the great economic challenges facing the world in general” and Equatorial Guinea in particular.
He also reiterated his “unwavering support” for Obiang, “his person, his political line and the Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea.”
“We are committed to always remain connected and available at the orders of Your Excellency to continue collaborating and contributing to the great task of building and developing our country, Equatorial Guinea, better and better,” said the Prime Minister and coordinator of the administration.
Roka Botey is the first woman to hold this position, having been appointed on 31 January 2023.
Following the en masse resignation, all 81 members of the Government (28 ministers of state, 10 deputy ministers, 20 vice-ministers and 23 secretaries of state) are now in office.
Obiang thanked them all for their “services rendered” and recommended that those who do not form part of the next government seek other occupations, “such as agriculture, the creation of small and medium-sized businesses, as well as the industrialization of their respective companies.”
Equatorial Guinean Vice President Teodorín Nguema Obiang also announced on social media X the dissolution of the Government after the Council of Ministers held this Friday at the People’s Palace in Malabo.
“This decision responds to the need to revitalize the management of public affairs in the country,” he said.
Since its independence from Spain in 1968, Equatorial Guinea has been considered by human rights organizations as one of the most corrupt and repressive countries in the world.
Teodoro Obiang Nguema, 82, has ruled the country with an iron fist since 1979, when he overthrew his uncle Francisco Macías in a coup, becoming the longest-serving president in the world.
Source: Observadora
