Africa-Press – Malawi. By Mercy Matonga:
National Oil Company of Malawi (Nocma) has said the second consignment of the fuel under the Government to Government (G2G) arrangement will arrive in mid-July.
The State agency has further indicated that preparations for the arrival of the vessel at the port are in progress.
AT MATINDI DEPOT—LikambaleThis is according to Nocma spokesperson Raymond Likambale.
“All necessary preparations with stakeholders to facilitate loading, dispatch and arrival of the vessel are going well.
“All our suppliers are actively loading fuel from both Tanzania and Mozambique. By mid- July, the Government-to- Government (G2G) fuel consignments will have arrived,” Likambale said.
On the on-going fuel supply challenge, Likambale said the challenge was expected to ease by this week as trucks that were loaded with fuel were set to arrive in the country over the weekend.
“Just Sunday, over 120 petrol trucks were released and are currently in transit. These are expected to arrive in the country by the [end of the] weekend,” Likambale said.
He further said the Ministry of Energy would, in due course, issue a formal update on progress made.
Fuel Transporters Association Secretary Mwiza Chawinga was not readily available for a comment yesterday.
President Lazarus Chakwera and other government officials recently visited the United Arab Emirates to discuss the issue of a G2G fuel deal.
Last year, the government procured 51 million litres of fuel through a G2G agreement with Kenya to fill fuel supply gaps.
Malawi has been facing fuel shortages, which the government attributes to ongoing foreign exchange challenges.
Recently, Information Minister Moses Kunkuyu attributed the problem of fuel scarcity to the issue of forex shortage.
He also revealed that sales in the current tobacco market season could not satisfy the demand for fuel.
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