The Indeni Oil Refinery has had no crude oil for over 60 days, the longest in the last decade, the Power Generation and Allied Workers Union of Zambia and the National Union of Transport and Allied Workers have revealed.
In a joint statement issued by the Power Generation and Allied Workers Union of Zambia General Secretary Mutukelwa Lubita, there is no pumping at Indeni despite the many assurances by the Ministry of Energy.
Mr. Lubita said the situation raises many concerns and must not be allowed to continue.
He said that there is need for every patriotic Zambian to reflect on the efforts and selfless approach put in by Dr. Kenneth Kaunda and his team.
“They built the pipeline from Dar-e-salaam through to Ndola where Indeni Refinery is. The plant is an expensive installation whose safety gets compromised when left to lie idle. It must not be allowed to be exposed to the elements while in non – working state”, he said.
Mr Lubita said in this era of COVID-19 it should be the position of the Ministry of Energy to compliment the fight against the pandemic by reduced exposure unlike the increased importation of finished products.
“In our view, the importation is exposing tanker drivers to Covid-19 and consequently the entire country. The pandemic has brought with it untold suffering in form of job losses”, he added.
Mr Lubita said this situation at Indeni therefore does threaten the workers adding that the anxiety levels are high especially that there has never been a lengthy shut down like it for nearly two decades.
“We do sympathize with the workers for the mental torture they are being subjected to. This is not just torture to the workers but also a threat to the nation if transportation of fuel is left in private hands. It puts money in the oil marketing company’s and none in the government”, he added.
He expressed hope that the delay is not in any way a test of the refinery’s’ relevance because it is.
Mr Lubita said with the shutdown of Indeni, Ndola lime operations are affected, Ndola energy which contributes about 100 Megawatts of power to the Zesco grid is equally shut which affects the national power supply. There are many more too numerous to mention.
He has further implored the authorities to consider migrating the responsibility of crude oil procurement to Indeni so as to avoid future occurrences of this nature.
“As we understand it, the money for crude oil should not be a challenge because it revolves. Crude oil is procured, it’s refined and sold, for a profit at that”, he said.
Mr Lubita said as workers representatives therefore, they are left wondering whether or not to believe the speculations that some highly placed technocrats at the ministry of energy are cashing in on the situation by involving themselves directly or indirectly in the importation of finished petroleum products.
Go ahead dance dununa reverse.
idyots… what were you doing when crude oil or $1 per drum? All countries stocked up, all their pipes and tanks are full of oil, except you PF.
You are pondering over the speculations going the rounds. Well, your guess is as good as mine.
Just know the PF theives have found it cheaper to import finished fuel seeing the world fuel prices have collapsed and pocketing massive profits while charging motorists $150 per barrel prices ……..
Guys can one stout PF cadre on this forum, sonta for me pls an area which is flourishing in this PF/Bemba led gvnmnt. With due respect to all my Bemba friends & my ex but, truth be told-The entire Zambian Gvnmnt in power today is entirely Bemba. The Easterners are jst a cover-up. I can assure u, these guys ve messed up for themselves,bug time.From next year onwards, Zambians will take a very long time to employ a Bemba as president again. It can take up to 3 generations.
PF and Bemba are two words Zambians dont want to hear from next year. The same way the PF was de-campaigning HH of being a tribal Tonga. Tables seem to ve turned, its starting to be ” a Tribal Bemba”, e.g Christopher Yaluma, Chanda, Lusambo, Mumbi, Chilufya, Chakwanda, Tayali, Davies Chama, Sunday Chanda etc.
A fuel refinery having no stock when weeks ago petroleum was free.?
Primates in the field have again eaten all the seed maize, rather than plant.
Running a country is not like running a Kantemba Chawama Bottle Store, or running chitakataka pa City market.
This P.F Party full of N’gwan’gwazi’s from two tribal groupings has sunk Zambia to debths it will be near impossible to recover from, just look at Zimbabwe.
TO P.F G00N’Z, GOVERNANCE TRANSLATES AS STEALING & CAMPAIGNING 24/7.
Lastly #P.F.KUYABEBELE!
*to depths*
Flashback
Jun 14, 2019 – Indeni declares K31 million dividend to IDC. INDENI Petroleum Refinery Company has declared K31million dividend to its shareholder the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC).
How did they fail to stock up?
Now they involve ordinary citizens after years of servicing their shareholders.
These incidents appear as an attempt to stall the economy under the blanket cover of covid19. And investors trying to leverage their losses as global economy tanks. The investor species have no morality. Won’t pay their bills and will jump off the cliff to avoid upholding their investments if it means running their businesses at high costs and low gains in a downturn. It’s got nothing to do with PF only hard mixed Westerners.
Diasporans come back home. You are not wanted there abroad. Why stay in a place where you are considered inferior and killed. However we will only let in those with no criminal records and you will have to regain your citizenship the right way. Our thoughts are with you all those asylum seekers in America especially
Kaizar for once be like the rest of the planet and respect the departed George Floyd. Heaven mourned and welcomed him home with no jubilation. Be a true human unlike the evil police that killed the innocent man.
The could have bought cheap gas for Zambia when it was trading in the negatives. I am too shocked to comment even any more kikikiki.
This is unbelievable, what are we doing ruining Indeni? Crude was cheaper than ever, why didn’t we stock up? Bringing finished products is more expensive than crude via Tazama. Wonders will never end. I wonder who should we consider to employ next, because many of the rest Kuwayawayafye. We will wait and see. But PF?? Am beginning to have second thoughts now.