The Oil Marketing Companies Association of Zambia – OMCAZ, has challenged the government to immediately reverse the fuel pump prices after the revelation that the Energy Regulatory Board – ERB did not consult the government before announcing approved hiked prices a situation the government claimed did not sit well with them.
This follows Chief Government Spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa’s revelation during a media briefing that the Energy Regulations Board -ERB- did not consult the government before announcing approved the prices.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, OMCAZ President Dr. Kafula Mubanga said, “What it technically means is that money has been stolen from the Zambians if the government was not consulted and Zambians should demand a refund on the prices from the suppliers of this particular product because there were no consultations.”
Dr Mubanga noted that it is a crime for the ex-board chairman to have adjusted the prices without consultations.
“The biggest problem that we have in Zambia is that we don’t want to take full responsibility and it’s clear that we have been stolen from, how then does the government ensure that this money is refunded?
“According to the Minister’s position, those that have put these fuel prices, are stealing from the Zambians that’s the clear position and that should have raised eyebrows to ACC and other investigative wings to investigate who has been eating that money and why getting it from the Zambian people who are already starving.”
Dr Mubanga said it is enough that the Information Minister should state how he assumes that the Zambians would get back their money as they want it back. “There is an admission of guilt to a certain extent and we can’t just let that pass because we have to be responsible enough that if those people stole from the Zambians let the government go to the OMCs and direct them to reverse the prices but also to the price extent that the people of Zambia have lost.”
“So the review should be two times downwards because we know that they stole the money which is evident even in the Auditor General’s report where about K51 billion kwacha was siphoned from the overpricing of fuel prices.
Dr Mubanga remarked that it is not sufficient for the Government to just come and tell people that it was not aware of the theft adding that adequate actions must be taken and ensure that the money is paid back to the Zambians.
“Yes government was not aware and that’s the identification of crime but how then does it ensure that the money trickles down to the rightful people?
Government should now show political will and instruct all OMCs to reduce the prices backward.” remarked Dr. Mubanga.
