Energy and Power Development Minister Soda Zhemu says policies implemented by government have helped stabilise the country’s petroleum industry as evidenced by the proliferation of service stations across the country.
He was addressing the media last Friday at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair.
“We now have service stations almost everywhere you go, either one that has already been completed or a new one, which is being constructed.
“This attests to polices adopted by government to ensure that there is efficiency in the distribution of the petroleum products.
“You have seen service stations being constructed; it means that there are some dividends, which are being distributed in that sector.”
Zhemu said the energy crisis experienced between 2018 and 2019 where motorists were being forced to spend cold nights queuing for fuel was now a thing of the past.
“In the past, we used to see some queues, people queuing for fuel, spending much of their productive time in queues for fuel but now that has since gone away.
“This is a result of the innovativeness of the government through coming up with new policies.”
He added, “The National Oil Infrastructure Company (NOIC) is currently working on expanding the transmission system, the line that brings petroleum products from Beira into the country.
“Currently, it has a capacity of 2,1 billion litres of the products brought into the country but the intention is to achieve 3 billion litres.
“This will be for the purpose of servicing the requirements of the country and also other countries such as Zambia and DRC.”
Motorists have however continued to urge government to reduce fuel prices.
