By PETER SICHALI
LOCAL Oil Marketing Companies should be the sole suppliers of jet fuel to avert any risks of crippling the aviation sector when foreign firms come up with tactics to arm-twist the state, the Oil Marketing Companies Association (OMCAZ) has said.
And the association has demanded that 50 percent of oil supply contracts from the government be awarded to locally-owned OMCs.
OMCAZ president, Kafula Mubanga, said contracts involving sensitive national procurements should not be heavily entrusted in the hands of foreigners.
Dr Mubanga said the economy would become vulnerable to distractions when its sustenance becomes dependnt on foreign entities.
He said foreigners could not be trusted with the economy as their main concern was profit and not the plight of Zambians.
Dr Mubanga said Jet A1 should be supplied solely by local entities to avoid unnecessary disruptions and called on the Ministry of Energy to reserve 50 percent of fuel supply contracts for local firms.
“Just like the local fuel transporters are entitled to move 50 percent of fuel transport business, OMCs should equally be entitled to supply 50 percent of fuel including 100 percent supply of jet A1,” he said.
Dr Mubanga said currently, the supply of petroleum products was dominated by foreign-owned oil marketing companies.
He said when local firms were empowered, benefits trickle down to local transporters and create more jobs for citizens.
Dr Mubanga assured Government of guaranteed fuel supply in the country without any disruptions once locasl were fully empowered.
He said Zambian OMCs had the capacity to supply 50 percent of national demand.
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