Hope as G2G fuels tarts arriving
Malawians can temporarily breathe a sigh of relief as trucks carrying fuel from Tanga Port in Tanzania have started arriving in the country. However, government is unsure when the whole consignment will arrive in the country.
The consignment is part of the 40 000 metric tonnes (about 51.5 million litres) of a combined cargo of diesel and petrol which Malawi procured using Kenya’s existing Government to Government (G2G) arrangement with Abu Dhabi.
From the expected 1 409 trucks, by around 3pm yesterday, at least 30 trucks had arrived at Songwe Border in Karonga
Minister of Energy Ibrahim Matola, who witnessed the arrival of the first consignment, said at least 90 trucks would arrive by midnight, but decried that the long distance from Tanga to Songwe (1 600 kilometres) and bad roads in Malawi would delay the transportation.
He said: “I cannot give a specific time on when all the fuel will be here because drivers are also human beings and they get tired. Anything can happen like sickness of the driver, breakdowns. But we just need to pray.
“This was done under the emergency procurement because the country was really in need, but our actual G2G is still taking place because we have invited expressions of interest from refinery countries.”
According to Matola, Arab countries where the government has asked for expressions of interest include the Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait.
“We want to see their margins and premiums, so that we can look at who should be given the contract to manage the G2G. The other processes will be done by government entities such as Mera, Nocma and PPDAA [Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority],” he said.
One of the drivers ferrying the fuel from Asas Company in Tanzania ferrying the fuel, Awada Said Kaniki, bemoaned delays in clearing the truck at the border, a concern which Matola took to the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA).
In a separate interview, MRA deputy station manager for Songwe, Gibson Mzoma, said they have beefed up equipment and staff to ensure that the trucks are cleared within 15 minutes by all government agencies.