Africa-Press – Tanzania. PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan has responded to widespread outcry over skyrocketing fuel prices in the country, ordering reduction in various levies charged on fuel to relieve Tanzanians from digging deeper into their pockets.
The Head of State on Tuesday directed government agencies, which collect levies from fuel totaling 102bn/- annually, to reduce their levies, ordered that directive implemented with immediate effect.
The Head of State took the stance after receiving a report from the Energy Minister January Makamba, over implementation of her directives to the ministry to assess the trend of fuel business and prices in the country.
The implementation of her directives went along with amendments in various regula- tions on levies.
The amendments have been published on Govern- ment Gazette.
Equally, a statement from the Directorate of the Presidential Communications indicated that President Samia’s decision to order slashing of levies was meant to give relief to citizens, following increased prices of fuel in the world market.
According to the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA), the levies slashed on fuel products include Wharfage charges from 22/- to 15/- per litre as well as removing VAT, Railway Development levy, Customs processing fees (from 4.8/- per litre to a standard charge of 20m/- per oil vessel, instead of charging per litre), Weights and Measures fee (1/- per litre slashed to standard charges of 7m/- per oil vessel in- stead of charging per litre).
Others charges reduced included the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (from 1.24/- per litre to a standard charge of 12.8m/- per oil vessel), Tasac Charges (from 3.54/- per litre to a standard of 20m/- per oil vessel), Ewura Fee (from 5.54/- per litre to 3.06/- per litre), Fuel Marking (from 14/- to 7/- per litre), Demurrage costs and Surveyors’ costs.
Also in the list are the Financing Cost, Evaporation losses, Fuel Levy, Excise Duty, Petroleum fee, charges payable to executive agencies, and Service levy payable to local government authorities (Wholesale) and removal of service levy payable to Temeke and Kigamboni municipal councils.
Ewura said for example, petrol prices in Dar es Salaam would have increased by 145/- per litre to 2,562/- per litre in comparison to 2,427/- of the previous month, but after President’s decision was of increase by 12/- to 2,437/- only this month.
The prices for diesel in Dar es Salaam increased to 2,261/- per litre from 2,251/- per litre of the previous month.
In Dodoma, petrol prices increased to 2,497/- per litre from 2,486/- per litre of the preceding month.
The prices for diesel increased to 2,320/- per litre in the current month from 2,318/- of the previous month.
The prices for petrol in Kigoma Region increased to 2,670/- per litre from 2,635/- per litre in the other month while the prices for diesel rose to 2,493/- per litre from 2,446/- per litre in the preceding month.
For a long time, the trend shows that prices of petroleum products have been increasing at a high rate, a situation which has been affecting consumers in the country.
President Samia’s directive to reduce levies was channeled to energy and water regulatory authorities.
In a related development, the Head of State has ordered immediate commencement of tabling in the Parliament Law amendments Bill, if at all there were laws that needed amend- ments to address fuel price hikes in the country in order to protect Tanzanians from high costs of living.
President Samia issued the directive in the presence of several ministers including Minister for Finance and Planning Dr mwigulu Nchemba, Mr Makamba (Energy), Prof Kitila Mkumbo (Industries and Trade), Ummy Mwalimu (Minister of State, President’s Office Regional Administration & Local Government) and Prof Makame Mbarawa (Works and Trans- port).
Others were Energy Deputy Minister Stephen Byabato, Attorney General (AG) Eliezer Feleshi and Energy Permanent Secretary Eng Leonard Masanja.
