By Emmanuel Yokoniya
Lilongwe, November 5, MANA. Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) has assured general public that fuel availability will improve by mid-November, 2022.
MERA’s chief executive officer Henry Kachaje said this at a press briefing jointly hosted by Minister of information, Gospel Kazako and Minister of Energy Ibrahim Matola in Lilongwe which solely organized to update the general public on fuel shortages.
Kachaje assured that the country is expecting to receive 12 million litres and 13 million litres of petrol and diesel respectively next week which aims at filling its 60 million litre fuel capacity reserves.
“fuel availability will improve by next week as 40 tanks fully loaded fuel from Tanzania are coming to the country and other 30 tanks also about to load product as well” he assured
MERA CEO disclosed that government has already secured a 60-million-dollar revolving financing facility specifically aimed at improving fuel importation in the country.
He said MERA sympathizes with the general public on fuel shortage which has become a big challenge to the country that is why the government is doing all it can to improve the situation for good.
“we therefore have asked the Central Bank of Malawi to come in rescue by assisting fuel importers with forex so that they should be able to import more fuel product” he said
While attributing that fuel shortage is due shortage of forex in the country, he was also quick to blame tendency of some citizens for unpatriotic behavior of buying fuel in bulk and resell it at a high price.
In his remarks, Minister of Information has asked Malawians resilience as the government is tirelessly working to improve the situation.
“it hurts to see citizens queuing in long line for fuel and for that reason the government cannot just sit and watch things going worse like that as this Tonse-led administration is a responsible government” Kazako said.
Since January this year the country has been experiencing fuel shortages which mainly is due to shortage of forex.
