OIL TANKERS MISSING

Tue, 13 Jun 2017 09:09:15 +0000

…as govt asked to explain disapperance

By BENNIE MUNDANDO

ABOUT 100 oil tankers, belonging to Lake Petroleum, impounded for using forged documents in the importation of oil into the country, have gone missing, a move that has outraged the Petroleum Transporters Association of Zambia (PTAZ).

Association secretary general, Benson Tembo told the Daily Nation that government had promised stern action against the culprits when the tankers were impounded and it was therefore shocking that the vehicles had instead disappeared.

He said the association wanted an explanation from the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) and the Ministry of Energy on how the impounded tankers disappeared when everyone was expecting sanctions against the people involved in illegal oil importations.

Mr. Tembo said it was frustrating that while tanker drivers and petroleum transporters played a key role in unearthing the scam involving the company, some institutions were hindering investigations.

He said his association would not sit idle  and allow people to bury the case because it expected them to work in accordance with the same  hype they created when the illegal import of fuel was reported adding that the inertia to act professionally would lead to speculation.

He asked for prudence, transparency, and accountability in the way the Lake Petroleum issue was handled before people concluded that there were senior officials who were part of the company’s clandestine activities. “We want to know under what circumstances Lake Petroleum trucks were released because there was overwhelming evidence that the company was importing fuel illegally after ERB’s decision to suspend importation by oil marketing companies. Lake Petroleum’s acts bordered on fraud, sabotage, deceit and a mockery to the Zambian Government and we do not expect Government wings entrusted with a national responsibility to start acting fishy over a serious matter like this one.

“They created a huge impression that they were going to act sternly and decisively. They paraded the media to publicise the purported investigation and they made it public that within 30 days, the company was supposed to provide all the documentations on where it was getting the fuel from and that it’s facility in Kapiri-Mposhi, fuel stocks and other assets would be sold off after 45 days but this is over three months and nothing seems to happen. They have purposefully hidden from the media probably with the hope of concealing this heinous crime but we will not sit and watch them because we did not report that matter in order for it to be hidden. We wanted the situation to be corrected once and for all,” Mr. Tembo warned.

“How do you explain a situation where Government institutions leave citizens in the dark after creating so much noise about probing  a case? We were not foolish to report the activities of Lake Petroleum and should not be taken as such. You cant keep Zambians waiting for such a long time before they know the truth.  “We want to know the truth and we shall not rest until the truth comes out. ERB effected the suspension in fuel imports by OMCs. What is special about Lake Petroleum?” he asked.