By KALOBWE BWALYA
GOVERNMENT should construct strategic fuel reserves around the country which can last up to 90 days of national consumption, Energy expert Johnson Chikwanda has advised.
The enhanced capacity would provide adequate petroleum strategic reserves to meet stop gap measures so that fuel shortages could be avoided.
This, he said, was a government responsibility and not of Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs).
Mr Chikwanda said fuel shortages being reported in some cases were a result of lengthy turnaround time to reach Beira and Dar es Salaam and come back to Zambia.
He explained that Beira loaded fuel for Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa and Botswana in some cases, therefore effective planning was very crucial.
“Dar es Salaam is an extremely busy port as it loaded fuel first for Tanzania and followed by DRC and Zambia.
“So effective planning and coordination is very important because of longer turnaround time. Government should therefore ensure that effective planning is adequate for petroleum strategic reserves in the country to meet stop gap measures so that fuel shortage could be avoided,” said Mr Chikwanda.
He said the shortage of fuel was being caused by its lengthy turnaround time to and from the ports which required enhanced planning and coordination by the importers and clearing houses.
Mr Chikwanda said if this was not addressed, it would affect the energy sector in the country.
Last week, some filling stations had run out of fuel causing panic among motorists who called on Government to quickly address the problem.
