The Energy Regulation Board (ERB) has suspended the issuance of construction permits for new filling stations within Lusaka District, for the next 6 months.
The Board has also stopped reviewing Environmental Project Briefs (EPBs) for new filling stations in Lusaka district for the same period.
Among the revised siting guidelines for filling stations is the allowable distance between operating filling stations from 500 meters to 300 meters countrywide with immediate effect.
This was contained in a statement issued to ZANIS by ERB Public Relations Manager Kwali Mfuni, in Lusaka today.
Ms Mfuni has, however, assured that the revised guidelines on construction permits, won’t apply to proposed rehabilitation, and reconstruction or already existing filling stations.
In highlighting the resolutions of the Board, she further remarked on the board’s resolution to constitute a multi-sectoral technical committee consisting of various experts from relevant government ministries and agencies to facilitate the refinement of guidelines in the said period.
“The said committee would conduct a comprehensive study during the six (06) months period to assess the risks associated with the existing concentration of filling stations in the various localities in Lusaka town as well as the feasibility and consequent impact of approving additional filling stations within Lusaka,” she noted
Mfuni also alluded to the guidelines as being a result of efforts by the Board to ensure it executes its mandate more effectively amidst the dynamics that have become apparent in the petroleum sub-sector.
“In 2019 the ERB commenced the process of revising the Guidelines for Siting of filling stations in response to emerging issues in the petroleum sub-sector,” she said.
“The revised Siting Guidelines have since been subjected to extensive stakeholder consultation and there still remain some planned further engagements before the siting guidelines are finalized,” Ms Mfuni Concluded.
Chinteme is also not adopted? Mushimba as well? What is PF thinking?
Very responsible thing to do. My full transporting business supports this decision. Thank you boss
Sometimes I get baffled as to how some of these stations get licensed. Some are in the middle of residential areas you’d wonder what might happen in case of a fire. The proximity of others to each other doesn’t make per capita sense. And why have Somalians invaded this business? Are they not laundering income from piracy and drugs? They used to demand as much as USD20M to release captives, so they raised their capital. Since the FIFA World Cup 2010 there has been an influx of drugs in the region just like that of illegal immigrants from Somalia and Ethiopia. Somalians are very creepy chaps, they lead very secretive lives you wouldn’t know how they survive with their circumcised women. I’ve several Somalian friends but they haven’t allowed me into their inner circle. There’s a lot of…
THE TR00*LL OWNS F* ALL
JUST A BL0GGER on a wage
Some are angry at our success. They will die of anger
I have always wondered why the ERB doesn’t stop issuing licenses in areas or roads where there are multiple filling stations already, while there are no stations on the next stretch of road. Example: On Great East Road between the Airport roundabout and Silverest there are EIGHT stations within 5km, and NOTHING the next 200km.
Ayatollah you are very xenophobic
You guys are not getting the whole picture here: The true story is that, That rumour ERB was claiming to be false, in which it was advising people to ignore it, is actually true. Zambia has NO incoming fuel. Supplies have stalled due to non payments and defaults. So if ERB allows new filling stations to open, those new stations will all be empty as the little fuel thats coming in will only reach the old fuel stations. That will cause Zambians to sense and panic and eventually vote out Lungu. But now they will maintain a steady number of old stations to show pipo that Zambia still has fuel. Even,soon they ll start revoking Licences of others in order to sustain the few stations that they ll choose. They ll then cacuse the closed stations for causing fuel shortages. And Zambians will…
Believe them
@National, many illegal immigrants have come from that region. They include Eritreans, Ethiopians, Ugandans, etc. There’s nothing xenophobic about questioning the source of income Somalians are splashing around because they’re criminals. Even in SA the most notorious car hijackers are Somalians and Indians. Somalians have lived in Zambia for many years, mention how many of them you really know?