AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE Minister for Energy Dr Medard Kalemani has ordered a seven-day manhunt and legal action against Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) that are allegedly conspiring to create an artificial oil crisis.
The minister tasked the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA) and Petroleum Bulk Procurement Agency (PBPA) to search for the greedy dealers.
Dr Kalemani gave the directive here yesterday when addressing reporters on the status of fuel, saying it has come to their attention that there are some dealers who do not supply the petrol stations in claims that there is fuel scarcity.
“They are trying to create the crisis as they want to save their reserve until when the fuel prices go high, this won’t be accepted” said Dr Kalemani.
He said the artificial crisis is being created by dealers in cities of Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Mbeya, Arusha and Mwanza.
“The low indicative fuel prices issued recently should benefit majority of Tanzanians, and the major dealers should not through distribution and supply create an artificial shortage” he insisted.
He directed Ewura to use their authoritative and regulating powers to ensure that those found bear the needed penalties including a 100m/- fine and revoking licences.
The minister said oil should be offloaded at Dar es Salaam, Mtwara and Tanga ports to save the intended purpose instead of the companies to concentrate on one port only.
He insisted that there is enough fuel storage capacity for up to three months, thus oil marketing companies playing foul would not be entertained.
In their public notice, Ewura said they had realised that some petrol stations were not selling the fuel, citing oil marketing companies’ denial to supply them.
According to the notice, Oil Marketing Companies should sell fuel to petrol stations unconditionally as per their business licences.
EWURA has also called upon the retail stations which have been affected by the oil marketing companies in one way or another to submit their complaints for further actions.
According to the notice, EWURA’s inspectors have been deployed all over the country to cross check the situation for proper actions.
