Africa-Press – Eswatini. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy that national petroleum is hoping that priority projects such as the development of the Strategic Oil Reserve Facility will be fast tracked through the collaboration between ENPC and ESERA.
Director of Energy in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy Thabile Nkosi, speaking during the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ENPC and Eswatini Energy Regulatory Authority (ESERA), said such collaboration would yield positive results for the petroleum sector and the economy as a whole (fuel consumers and players included). Nkosi said her ministry was always keen to assist on issues of policy and or legislation.
“For instance, we noted that one of the cooperative areas in the MoU is advocating for the development of subordinate legislation, as a ministry it is our mandate to ensure that we take into account what these entities will identify and then we will develop the policies and legislative framework necessary/needed for the effective delivery of the mandates,” said the director. She said they were indeed ready to assist where required in order to ensure that the petroleum sector develops and grows to benefit the Eswatini economy. “We therefore look forward to the successful implementation of the MoU and the resultant benefits/fruits,” she said.
Meanwhile, ENPC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Nhlanhla Dlamini said ENPC’s current strategy aimed at improving the participation of emaSwati in the petroleum industry hence ENPC would be taking deliberate steps to ensure that such a dream was fulfilled by ring-fencing some of the activities in the supply chain for emaSwati. Dlamini said the mandate given to ENPC was quite elaborate as already stated above and also very important for the country regarding fuel supply security and access hence ENPC has deemed it prudent to establish working relations with ESERA, as one of our key stakeholders.
“Both ENPC and ESERA have a significant role to play towards ensuring that the country doesn’t run dry on fuel supply whilst ensuring that the distribution and usage of petroleum products is done in a safe manner for humans and vehicles, whilst also protecting the environment, towards the kingdom’s sustainable economic,” he said. ESERA CEO Sikhumbuzo Tsabendze said it was important for them as the three above mentioned entities to remember that they were public institutions entrusted to serve the interest of this country.
Tsabedze said as they both (ESERA and ENPC) collected levies from the public, it was therefore important for them to provide equal measure of service. The CEO said one of the reasons they decided to collaborate with ENPC was to be in one accord in order for them not to avoid confusing the public. He added that in their documents of the MoU, they had committed to be transparent and share information so to be clear to those whom they were established to serve.
For More News And Analysis About Eswatini Follow Africa-Press
