Government has assured the nation that there was enough fuel stocks to see the country through during the period when the Indeni Oil Refinery will be shut down.
Last week, Government announced that Refinery in Ndola, Copperbelt Province will be shut down from 1st October to 15th November to allow its annual route maintenance of the equipment at the plant. The refinery has since been shut down.
Presenting a ministerial statement in Parliament Today, Energy and Water Development Minister Kenneth Konga said Government has reserved adequate fuel stocks to last the country for over 55 days of national consumption.
Mr Konga noted that government was convinced that there would be sufficient fuel supply during the shut down.
He added that fuel imports would also continue during the same period and beyond the shut down.
The Minister assured that unlike problems that were faced last year with government having faced serious supply constraints including inadequate storage capacity, the situation this year would be different.
Mr Konga pointed out that using the available resources, Government had finished the construction of a 40 million- litre diesel storage tank in Ndola, and two tanks each with a 14 million- litre capacity have also been rehabilitated at the Ndola Fuel Terminal.
He also disclosed that currently, there was 75 million of diesel equivalent to 47 days of national consumption, 34 million litres of petrol equivalent to 55 days, 2.4 million litres of Kerosene to last for 49 days, 5 million litress of Jet A1 equivalent to 41 days and 29,000 tonnes of Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) equivalent to 165 days of national consumption.
Mr Konga further added that as a way to continue securing fuel supplies, Government would continue with the programme of rehabilitating and building storage tanks.
He explained that in the next phase of this programme, the nation would see an expansion of storage facilities in Lusaka, Solwezi and Mongu.
He stated that a new storage facility would also be built in Mpika as the supply hub for Northern Province and facilities in other provinces would be rehabilitated or expanded adding that works were expected to be completed before the end of next year (2011).
Mr Konga also assured fuel consumers that the available fuel would be enough to supply the country during the shut down of the refinery and that the continuation of fuel importation was meant to replenish storage facilities during the period, the refinery would be non operational.
He further said there was no need, therefore, for consumers to have any anxieties about fuel supply during the shut down.
[ ZANIS ]
Mr Kinga you said the exact same thing and there were queues everywhere in the country. Thats some crazy statement to make now. Yu shoukd have just kept quiet.
Konga is vuvuzela ya Lupia Plunderer! Ohh! how did those galant militants from Niger Delta miss Rupia in those car bombs!! Kukonda kuyendayenda, chinangu chizafelamo.
It is a trick to disadvantage the opposition during the forth coming by elections
Its govt doublespeak at its best. Just stock up to avoid inconvenience