Maravi

I’ll resign if there’s fuel shortage, says Mumba

I’ll resign if there’s fuel shortage, says Mumba
Written by Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Thursday, June 11, 2009 12:39:24 PM

MINISTRY of Energy permanent secretary Peter Mumba yesterday pledged to resign if the current delayed docking of the 90,000 metric tonnes of feedstock from Independent Petroleum Group (IPG) of Kuwait leads to a fuel shortage in the country. And Mumba said the next consignment of feedstock was expected to dock at the port in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania on Monday next week after bad weather at sea delayed its importation from Kuwait.

Addressing journalists, Mumba said if indeed there were a looming fuel shortage in the country, he would have been honest enough to inform the nation on the correct status quo.

"If we are going to have shortage before this [consignment of feedstock arrives], then I will be the first one to go to the President and tell him that 'sir, I am not fit to be PS [permanent secretary]'," Mumba said.

He said the country would not experience a fuel shortage despite the delayed docking of the 90,000 metric tonne tanker at Dar-es-Salaam port, which was initially expected to dock on June 15, 2009.

Mumba said the country had enough fuel stocks to last up to about the first week of July, 12 days after the expected time of the docking of the current consignment -the eighth in a row of 16 cargoes to be delivered under the two-year contract in which IPG would deliver 1,440,000 metric tonnes of crude oil.

"As of this morning [yesterday], the correct fuel stock position in the country according to the amount of finished products that Tazama [Tanzania Zambia Mafuta Pipeline] has, there is enough Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) to last up to 26th June, 2009; unleaded petrol to last up to 4th July, 2009; kerosene to last up to 5th August, 2009 and Jet A1 up to 2nd July, 2009," Mumba explained.

"As regards diesel, we have enough to last 8th July, 2009 and heavy fuel oil (HFO) to last up to 13th August, 2009."

Mumba denied that the government had failed to pay for the current consignment resulting in it being diverted to India, saying PTA Bank had committed to fund the procurement on behalf of the government.

"Once a ship is ordered, the components of the feedstock loaded are specific to the market requirements for Zambia and therefore it is not possible for the ship to be diverted by the supplier to any other destination as the crude will not meet the requirements of that country," Mumba said.

The docking of the feedstock tanker next week was also confirmed by IPG in an e-mail sent to director of Energy Oscar Kalumiana yesterday morning at 10:02 hours, which Mumba availed to journalists.

"Dear Oscar, Vessel is facing very rough sea due to SW Monsoon with head winds and swell, due above, ETA is revised to 18th June am. Sorry for the inconvenience," stated IPG manager for supply and operations Capt SK Basal in an e-mail.

Mumba's figures were however contrary to last week's statement by energy minister Kenneth Konga when he confirmed the shutdown at Indeni Oil Refinery owing to insufficient crude stocks needed for processing.

Konga said it was true that the crude oil that the country were expecting to dock in Dar-es-Salaam last week had delayed, but the ship was expected to dock between June 7 and 11.

Konga disclosed that the country had 62 days' stock of petrol, 33 days of diesel and kerosene stocks to last 67 days, while A1 jet fuel would suffice for the next 45 days.

Mumba said the recent closure of Indeni had helped in conducting some routine maintenance at the country's sole oil refinery and enabled Tazama repair about a five-kilometre stretch of the pipeline, which needed attention.

And in a letter addressed to Post managing editor Amos Malupenga, Mumba expressed shock that The Post reported the story without verifying with the Ministry of Energy.

"If you had done this, this unfortunate and misleading story would not have been printed by you," Mumba stated. "...All formalities for offloading of the ship have been made with Tanzanian authorities. IPG would not be bringing the ship if GRZ has failed to pay for it. With the above information, we are extremely shocked that The Post can approach this issue of national importance in such a casual manner."

Mumba wondered what could have motivated The Post to deliberately mislead the public.

"We therefore request you to correct your misleading story. Further, you should in future verify the stories you intend to print to avoid causing unnecessarily alarm. While, I agree that the press is free to report on anything, it is our considered view that this type of reporting is unacceptable as it does not contribute to the building of our young and prosperous society," stated Mumba.

On Tuesday, sources told The Post that Indeni Oil Refinery shut down because the Zambian government had no money to procure crude oil and the Ndola-based refinery only had petrol and diesel to last for nine and eight days respectively.

Labels: INDEPENDENT PETROLEUM GROUP, PETER MUMBA

posted by MrK @ 11:43 AM