• The move by government to empower some cooperatives is a welcome.
• It will help increase the local capacity.
• The cooperatives must be inducted in the system, they must understand the sector.

Petroleum Transporters Association of Zambia says government’s decision to procure 50 fuel tankers for youth cooperatives will help increase local participation in the energy sector.
Speaking in an interview with Money FM News, Association Secretary General Benson Tembo said government has responded to calls by local fuel transporters to help increase the local capacity.
Mr. Tembo stated that the Association has for a long time been calling on Zambians to participate but most of them are finding it difficult to access loans from financial institutions to invest in the sector.
“This is a welcome move by government, basically the government is responding to the call that we have made as Zambian Fuel Transporters to help increase the local capacity.”
“We have been very consistent in calling a lot of Zambians to participate but unfortunately most of the citizens are finding it difficult to access loans, or assistance from financial institutions,” Mr. Tembo said.
He stressed the need for government to ensure that the cooperatives who will benefit from the procured fuel tankers understand how the sector operates because it will take time for them to come into full operation.
“The move by government to empower some cooperatives is a welcome though these cooperatives must be inducted in the system, they must understand the sector. It will take some time for them to come into full operation, but we appreciate the move taken by government to bring on board more Zambians or to empower the citizens,” he added.