SILUMESI MALUMO writes
@SunZambian
OIL Marketing Companies (OMCs) and contracted fuel suppliers are required to announce 50 percent of their import volumes to ensure equitable distribution by local transporters, Energy Minister Mathew Nkhuwa has said.
Mr Nkhuwa said this was a deliberate policy to empower local transporters and grow the capacity of the petroleum transportation subsector.
He said therefore that all contracted Government suppliers and OMCs importing petroleum products were expected to support the empowerment programme initiated by the government.
In a statement, Mr Nkhuwa urged importers to engage the secretariat at the Energy ministry over the matter.
Recently, Government launched the secretariat for the transportation of Government imported petroleum products.
The secretariat has representation from Tazama Pipelines Limited, Energy Regulation Board, Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport.
Others are Indeni Petroleum Refinery Limited, Petroleum Transporters Association of Zambia, Zambia Union of Tanker Drivers and Allied, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Energy and Ministry of Transport and Communication.
The secretariat is mandated to ensure transparency and efficiency in nomination of petroleum products.
It would also ensure the administration of 50 percent Government imported petroleum products is done by Zambian citizen owned companies in conjunction with Ministry of Energy among others.