Petroleum Transporters Association of Zambia – PTAZ has challenged the Zambian embassies and the respective Zambian diplomats to Tanzania and Mozambique to take interest and play their expected role to facilitate the smooth transit of fuel imports into Zambia.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, PTAZ Secretary General Benson Tembo stated that since Indeni Refinery is currently not producing and contributing its 40% to the total national consumption as it is not operational, it means 100% finished petroleum products are been imported.
He called on Zambia’s ambassadors and high commissioners to Tanzania and Mozambique, the countries where most of the imported fuel is transited through, to take keen interest to ensure smooth and timely delivery of fuel and other petroleum products.
“These officers were sent to represent the Zambian government and the people of Zambia need the petroleum products to be delivered timely for economic activities to continue, so these officers must do their job and take an active role to help in the smooth movement of the much needed commodity and not just sit in their offices.
“We are not seeing any of these people [ambassadors or high commissioners] participating to smoothen the supply of petroleum products, they can play a pivotal role by engaging their counterparts and reducing the challenges that the oil marketing companies are facing in Tanzania and Mozambique. If they sit back, I don’t know who they are going to blame tomorrow if we continue to have fuel shortages in the country”, he said.
He added that most of the challenges that the drivers and oil marketing companies are facing can be addressed by the offices of high commissioners and ambassadors. Tembo told ZBT that the country representatives should engage say the Tanzanian Revenue Authority especially when delays occur, they must participate to make sure that there is constant flow of petroleum products to Zambia especially now that 100% of finished fuel is being imported directly.
On the current delays in the normalization of fuel supply, PTAZ further challenged government [Energy Regulation Board – ERB] to ensure they monitor the oil marketing companies. “These oil marketing companies must send people to these countries and borders instead of relying on virtual meetings now that there is 100% reliance on imports of finished products” he said.
Tembo said some of the delays are as a result of the oil marketing companies doing business online instead of physically following up these transactions at the border port to ensure what has been purchased is loaded and quickly delivered to Zambia. So, there are some delays because of using the online system.
He said most oil marketing companies, due to Covid restrictions are relying on clearing agents and companies or people based at the ports of entry, some of whom are inexperienced, which is delaying the process of loading, clearing and delivering the product in Zambia. This is ultimately affecting the flow of petroleum into the country.
The PTAZ General Secretary told ZBT that business for their sub-sector [Petroleum Transportation] has been slow. He said even the business from importing activities has also been slow as transporters are making fewer trips due to clearing delays.
“For instance, transporters are supposed to be making an average of two trips per month per truck on the Dar es Salaam corridor and three trips from the Beira corridor, but our members are currently making an average of one trip in a month, which is not productive”, Tembo stated.
If you look at the situation at Indeni Refinery for local business, there is no movement there. Even when you look at the importing business, transporters are experiencing delays with loading and clearing the trucks at the border. Efforts by ZBT to get a comment from Zambia’s ambassodor to Tanzania and Mozambique was futile by press time.
