By Flavior Kanungo
Petroleum Transporters Association of Zambia (PTAZ) Secretary General Benson Tembo has charged that as long as regulations surrounding the fuel transport sector are not implemented, pronouncements in the 2023 national will remain mere rhetoric.
Finance and national planning Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane in his 2024 national budget presentation announced that to improve efficiency in the petroleum subsector, Government is in the process of converting TAZAMA Pipeline from a petroleum feedstock carrier to a carrier of finished products, particularly diesel while INDENI Refinery will no longer process feedstock but play other roles in the petroleum supply chain.
But Mr. Tembo has argued that it is no longer a secret that the fuel sector is dominated by foreigners who have failed to follow the laws.
He said Zambian transporters have remained at the mercy of foreigners despite the many laws and policies in place.
He has appealed to relevant authorities to expedite efforts in ensuring that local transporters are protected by through implementation of laws.
Implementation is still problematic in Zambia