By Our Correspondent, DAR ES SALAAM Tanzania
The Tanzania Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA) yesterday reiterated its intention to revoke licenses of two fuel wholesalers and three retailing stations over continuous tendency of hoarding fuel in a bid to create shortage.
According to EWURA's
Communications and Public Relations Manager, Titus Kaguo, the companies
particularly hoard the fuel when the authority announces lowered monthly pump
prices to create scarcity and price hike.
“These companies were creating
shortages during times of low fuel indicative prices, which as results caused
panic among consumers,” Kaguo stated yesterday in Dar es Salaam.
He mentioned the wholesaler as
Mansoor Oil Industries Limited (MOIL) and Olympic Petroleum Tanzania Ltd based
in Dar es Salaam.
The three fuel retailers are
B.O.Five Ways Petrol Station (Bagamoyo), Mexon Energy (Makumbusho) and Mexon
(Njombe).
“We initially gave them a 48-hour
ultimatum to present their explanation to the authority regarding the matter
and the authority arrived at the decision to embark on procedures for revoking
their licenses after being dissatisfied with their explanations,” Kaguo stated.
He explained that the procedures
include announcing in the newspapers over the authority's intent for inviting
views from the public, thereafter the decision is taken. This procedure takes
about seven days.
Kaguo noted that such dealers
have been creating panic to the consumers, who have been rushing to buy large
amounts of fuel and reserve in fear that there could be a scarcity.
The retail and wholesale prices for the petroleum
products, imported through Dar es Salaam port, for June dropped drastically
compared to prices recorded in May, 2020.
The current retail prices released by the regulator
that took effect from June 6, shows cap price for a litre of petrol decreased
by Sh348 (equivalent to 18.65 per cent), diesel dropped by Sh300 (16.25 per
cent) whereas a litre of kerosene remained the same at Sh1,568.
Meanwhile, EWURA has announced that importation of fuel for August will rise by 52 per cent for petrol and 30.9 per cent for diesel as compared to a month of July, following the resumption of economic activities that were paralysed due to Covid-19.
The EWURA's Communications and
Public Relations Manager, Kaguo said due to resumption of all economic
activities, the authority expects an increase of fuel importation for August,
reaching 157.9 million litres of petrol from 103.3 million litres for July.
On the other hand, the
importation of diesel will rise from 176.1 million litres for July to 230.6
million litres for August.
He stated that petrol would
approximately account for 89 per cent of fuel consumption for July, down from
94 per cent for June.
Likewise, the expected fuel
importation for July would exceed an average consumption for that month by five
per cent.
“EWURA management will closely follow up on the availability of fuel and if possible will direct local fuel companies to reserve fuel they intended to export to neighbouring countries for future local consumption,” Kaguo noted. - Africa
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