From today's News24:
'Jet will improve EG status'
Pretoria - At least 60% of his fellow citizens must survive on less than R6 ($1) a day, but this did not prevent President Obiang Nguema from Equatorial Guinea (EG) from buying himself a Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) for more than R600m.
The jet is similar to that of President Thabo Mbeki and one of only three in Africa.
El Confidencial, a Spanish newspaper, reported that Nguema said he needed the jet to improve the country's international status.
It is Nguema's sixth plane for international travel. The other is a Falcon similar to Mbeki's standby jet and is brand new, just like his other planes.
Too big for most airports
The report stated that the boeing, called Utombe, is too big to land on many of the airports where Nguema regularly stops. There is also not enough ground support to accommodate the jet.
Because of its size, the jet will also disrupt air traffic at these airports. Obiang apparently bought the jet with government funds. His government's biggest source of income is oil mining.
The plane has 36 seats, two kitchens, two bathrooms, a bedroom and an area for video games that was apparently added at Nguema's request.
When Nguema officially took delivery of the jet this week, he said that his fellow citizens should rejoice since it was their plane as well.
A representative of Boeing praised Nguema for his quick payment.
Eight South Africans are currently standing trial in EG for allegedly planning to overthrow Nguema in a coup.
After oil was discovered in EG a few years ago, this country has developed into the third largest oil supplier in Africa. An investigation is currently under way after about $700m (about R4,2- billion) of the American earnings from this oil apparently ended up in the pockets of Nguema and his family.