Opposition National Movement for Progress (NMP) president Ng’andu Magande says the statement that fuel pump prices will reduce when the country begins producing crude oil does not give a message of hope to the Zambia people.
The Zambian government has already issued 17 petroleum exploration licenses to 12 companies that are currently carrying out explorations in seven of the country’s 10 provinces but it is not clear exactly when the production of Oil will begin.
And Mr. Magande has told Qfm news in an interview that he personally finds as comical and surprising the statement that fuel pump prices will reduce when fuel is found in the country especially that such a statement came from a government Minister.
Mr. Magande says this is because it is not known when the current prospecting of oil in the country will eventually lead to the discovery of oil as it could even take 20 years from now.
The NMP leader says government should also keep it in mind that when oil is eventually found in the country it will belong to the companies that are spending money on its prospecting.
He says government should take stock of what is the situation in Nigeria where despite producing oil, the there still shortages of fuel in that country as the owners of the oil are the companies that produce it and decide where to sell their fuel.
The opposition leader, who is also of the position that the hike of fuel pump prices in the country was inevitable, has advised that what government should do in order that prices of fuel go down is to work on the Exchange Rate market and ensuring that the Kwacha retains its strength against other currencies.
He says this can be done through ensuring that the country goes into massive production for exports which will earn it more foreign exchange.
Reckless and irresponsible government of armatures.
Spot on, That’s all this current government can see. Still dreaming on the job, chimbwis, no…. What a wasted 5 years? PF is clearly confessing that, they didn’t know what they were signing up to. Why not just step down then so that other parties with a vision and ability to lead can take over?
The PF govt is a proper dochi kubeba. when they said within 90 days fuel prices will be reduced they meant it will be increased. Hopefully the poor supporters are still dancing to their famous dochi kubeba song. Yes, hoping they are still able to dance and soon they will have less meals on their tables, just in case they still have the tables.
SHAME Useless govt how do you say such a thing we are no KIDS
This is better Presidential material!
Do you still question the need for an educated president? PF has taught us a huge lesson!
While we are busy talking about oil the manufacturers of the cars we are using are busy researching and harnessing alternative energies. Guess what? Just when oil becomes common place it will be damn expensive to buy and run the only vehicles that will be available because they will now run on energy we will not be able to access. If we do not move away from outmoded, lousy mindsets, we will forever live in perpetual mediocrity. Magande’s message is one only the serious minded will wish to hear; the rest want 90 day promises…
Exports per se do not increase foreign exchange reserves, it is the expatriation of the foreign currencies arising from the export proceeds that hold sway to improve the foreign exchange!
Government should just be brave enough to sort out the bottlenecks they faced in implementing SIs 33 and 55 of 2012 and 2013, respectively, to have this intermediate measure back into place, as a first step.
PF is comical party, do think any serious, logical reasoning can come from this party?
What a useless statement ! why is fuel cheap in Botswana , Namibia & other neighboring countries do they have oil wells ? These people don’t know what they are doing. Let them follow what mr magande has said. I agree with him 100%.
@mulego, you might just be comparing oranges and pumpkins here. To begin with Botswana and Namibia will NEVER allow you to trade in any currency apart from theirs, so they don’t even need an SI to conduct business. Add to that the fact that their fiscal discipline is exemplary, they follow the laws to the extent that even when a politicians over-reaches the system will rescue you from abuse. There are a lot of small things that curb abuses in the countries you have cited that, if taken into account will transform your country, Zambia. Who knows, you might just be part of the IMF lenders like Botswana.
No politicking only logical sense , will Zambians see this. I will influence many to give their votes to the hope of Zambia.
PF will never see the good side of principled long term approach bcoz they thrive on lies designed for temporary political advantage.Magande you can’t mix this oil argument with watery PF brains- they don’t mix.
Surely fuel should be as cheap as it is in other countries in the region. They should cut out the intermediaries! The likes of Kabimba and his friends should be removed from the frame. A cheaper source ought be found and saving accrued passed on to the consumer.
So when Magande was in charge fuel was cheap and there was never a shortage? What dim and short memories
clutch just pray for your leaders to have better ideas than wishing things on people, we are not NIgeria, or Arab nations with oil in our backyard
What is this about? I am sorry, I have not been reading the news during the holidays.
Did SATA give a Press Conference and announce we will discover oil Zambia in 90 days? Or with IMMEDIATE EFFECT? Or has he ordered a Commission of Inquiry to find out if Zambia needs fuel?
Maybe he will change his slogan from MORE MONEY IN YOUR POCKETS to something like MORE FUEL IN YOUR CAR!
Or he might tell us that we want an animal driven CONSTITUTION, and animals don’t drive cars, so Zambians can walk from now on.
WHEN YOU ARE LEADER YOU SHOULD GIVE INSPIRING STATEMENTS, WHICH GIVE HOPE TO THE PEOPLE. THE STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER ON FUEL INCREASE WAS A VERY CARELESS STATEMENT AND FRIGHTENING AT THE SAME TIME BECAUSE IT HAS EXPOSED THE PF GOVERNMENT THAT THEY HAVE NO PLANS HOW TO RUN THE ECONOMY OF THIS COUNTRY. AS LONG AS PF IS IN GOVERNMENT WE ARE AS GOOD AS DEAD.
The citing or intoning of Nigeria is out of context. It is accurate, factual and true that generally speaking, oil producing countries enjoy a comparative advantage with regard to pricing in the petroleum sector. To argue otherwise is hyperbolic and misleading. Naturally, exceptions will define the rule. Are saying that importing petroleum products is generally cheaper than exporting it at domestic market level? That sounds confusing.
when someone told you that sata worked with me and he is not presidential material chiluba worked with him and told the same mwanawasa and rb said the the same now how do you expect miracles from someone who went round promising to change everything in 90 days i think god is making you pay for this foolishness
Which paper ever carried that story bane?
Guy Scott never said this .Why are reporters miasleading Mr Magande?
WHICH PAPER OR WHICH MINISTER SPOKE THOSE WORDS