With the resurfacing of fuel queues at various filling stations nationwide, Malawi’s Energy and Mines Minister Dr. Cassim Chilumpha has differed with Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (Mera) on the causes of the fuel shortage.
Chilumpha on Saturday attributed the problem to the shortage of forex and the fluctuating of the dollar. Mera on the other hand has blamed logistical challenges to load tankers at the port of Beira in Mozambique.
Said Chilumpha: “One of the critical problems has been difficulty in the movement of foreign exchange rate. The automatic price mechanism (APM) in not the real answer to this problem.
“As long as there is not enough forex to cushion fluctuations, we cannot intervene. We have to devise means of generating foreign exchange on our ownâ€.
But in a press statement on Saturday, Mera said that the country has secured adequate volumes of fuel from the ports. It said the main cause of the shortage has been technical malfunctions at the fuel loading gantry.
It said 16 tankers of petrol arrived and is being distributed in the country. Mera further said 30 tankers of both petrol and diesel are in transit and will arrive in the country by weekend.
Reads the statement: “Engineers have been working tirelessly to resolve the electrical fault [at the gantry]. Meanwhile loading has been planned for tomorrow (Sunday) …
“PIL has already arranged further financial instruments to secure 17 million litres in the coming week to ensure stability of supplies in the country. Mera is urging all members of the public not to panic,†reads the statement.Â
