Africa-Press – Angola. UNITA considered Friday, that the withdrawal of fuel subsidies meets a real economic need in the country.
According to the secretary general of the largest opposition party, Álvaro Chikwamanga Daniel, “for UNITA, the withdrawal of fuel subsidies is not the real problem, because it has always been an economic need for the country”.
At a press conference to react to the rise in the cost of gasoline from 160 kwanzas to 300 kwanzas, the politician suggested that the measure should be preceded by more time to raise awareness of society to cushion its impact.
On the other hand, he called for greater transparency in the management of resources, increased investment in the promotion of rural production and the conclusion of construction work on oil refineries.
The measure, announced on Thursday by the Executive, does not cover taxi drivers and motorcycle taxi drivers, who will continue to pay 160 kwanzas per liter of gasoline.
According to the Executive, the remaining fuels derived from petroleum, such as diesel, lighting or cooking oil, will maintain current prices.
On Thursday, at a press conference, the Minister of State for Economic Coordination, Manuel Nunes Júnior, explained that State spending on fuel subsidies was, in 2022, in the order of USD 3.8 billion, almost 2 billion kwanzas.
This amount, he explained, represented 92% of total spending last year on education and health, stressing that this is an unsustainable situation, adding that SONANGOL paid around KZ 583 per liter of gasoline, sold 160 at the pump and difference was borne by the state.
According to Manuel Nunes Júnior, the money that the State will retain with the gradual end of fuel subsidies will allow the country to observe social improvements, such as housing and social security.
Data collected show that, in 2022, the State assumed a total subsidy of Kz 1.98 billion, with diesel being the fuel that represents the greatest weight of this expenditure, in the amount of Kz 1.35 billion, which corresponds to 68.1 % of the total, followed by gasoline with a value of Kz 458.78 billion, corresponding to 23.2% of the total.
Regarding the measures, the Associations of Taxi Drivers and Motorcycle Taxi Drivers of Angola praised the measures adopted by the Angolan Government, for protection against the increase in the price of gasoline.
Francisco Patient, president of the National Association of Taxi Drivers of Angola (ANATA), expressed satisfaction with the approval of the proposal presented to the Government, after a long period of discussions.
Now, the challenge for ANATA is related to the operability of the fuel payment cards to be distributed by the State, with a view to avoiding embarrassment among the members.
With more than 120,000 members, the chairman of the board of Amotrang – Associação dos Moto-taxistas de Angola, Bento Rafael, also praises the innovation of the payment card for fuel intended for the class.
The payment cards to be assigned will cover taxi drivers licensed by the Ministry of Transport in partnership with provincial governments.
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