Mon, 19 Jun 2017 09:47:33 +0000
By Bennie Mundando
GOVERNMENT must prosecute the owners of Lake Petroleum and its operating licence revoked with immediate effect for smuggling fuel tankers into the country because this is tantamount to economic sabotage.
And the Petroleum Association of Zambia (PTAZ) has vowed not to bow down to intimidation and threats of legal suits in its quest to rid the sector of Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) whose illegal activities it says may rise following Government’s withdrawal from the sector.
PTAZ secretary general Benson Tembo told the Daily nation yesterday that the Lake Petroleum oil saga was an eye opener to the nefarious and dangerous activities of companies in the oil industry where some local officials were conniving with foreigners to deprive the country of vital revenue required for development.
“We can safely say that some senior officials handling this case are diverting the attention of the ZRA commissioner general in their cover-up attempts by tackling non-issues while turning a blind eye to criminality perpetuated by the company, hence the need for Government to come in and get the truth through an inquiry and prosecute those found wanting because some people want to protect their jobs.
“They are saying the investigations were done in conjunction with other Governmnet wings, why haven’t we heard anyone being arrested because this is a clear case of
economic sabotage, fraud and forgery? We expected a deterrent measure to be taken to weed out OMCs which want to reap our resources. Right now, we don’t know where the fuel which was confiscated is and these are issues that ZRA is failing to tell the nation.
“With this kind of inertia to act, this country is in for serious economic sabotage it has never experience especially that Government is pulling out of the sector. We expect the sector to be cleaned once and for all so that we don’t get back to where we are today but ZRA is not helping matters. We expect Lake Petroleum’s licence to be revoked. Alas! The issue is being treated with kid gloves,” Mr. Tembo complained.
And Mr. Tembo warned that PTAZ was “a train without brakes” out to crush anyone who will stand on its way to expose fraudulent activities by players in the sector and that his association is itching to go to court with Lake Petroleum so that it could lay bare, loopholes through which the company was looting the country.
“Our cause is patriotic. I don’t own an OMC myself but I am at pains to understand why our authorities should be so naïve to stop this daylight robbery when foreign companies are reaping our resources with impunity. If Lake Petroleum think we will be scared by their threats of taking us to court, then they are wrong.
“Actually we are itching to go to court even today so that we can expose them together with their accomplices. ZRA should not think they are being smart by shielding criminality. Let them tell us where the fuel that was confiscated is. Let them tell us why they have not closed Lake Petroleum and why they are not selling its assets. There are over 50 OMCs in Zambia. Why should they protect Lake Petroleum so much as if there will be a crisis if they are kicked out? Zambians, let us wake up and be serious with our national affairs!” he said. Lake Petroleum is demanding US$15 million from the Daily Nation following a series of articles exposing an oil import scam in which the oil firm used forged papers to import oil into the country.
The illegal imports and forgery were confirmed by ZRA who proceeded to impound the oil company’s tankers as well as sanctioning Lake Petroleum, for an illegal and criminal act that is not in dispute.
The oil company has, however, threatened to sue the newspaper and PTAZ and has since demanded a retraction and an additional US$ 15,000,000 in damages.
