• An efficient petroleum sub-sector accelerates national development.
• If the sector is not properly managed, it affects the entire economy.
• Government must invest more resources in this sector so as to bring down the cost of petroleum products.

An Energy Expert has called on government to consider investing more resources in the energy sector so as to reduce the cost of petroleum products in the country.
Speaking in an interview with Money FM News, Yotam Mtayachalo noted that the cost of fuel in Zambia is very high, a situation that is negatively affecting businesses.
Mr. Mtayachalo stated that government must find ways of lowering the cost of fuel because the petroleum sector plays a very key role in economic development of any country.
“If you have an efficient petroleum sub-sector then that also accelerates national development because if the sector is not properly managed, it affects the entire economy. Please let us invest more resources in this particular sector so that we bring down the cost of petroleum products because undoubtedly the cost of petroleum products in Zambia is very high and that is affecting businesses,” Mr. Mtayachalo said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Mtayachalo welcomed government’s plans to start constructing ethanol plants in provincial centres for blending fuel in 2023.
He however advised government to build more fuel storage facilities so that the country can be sustained for when there is a crisis on the international market.
“Government must be commended for taking such a move and we as an opposition political party we will be able to support all progressive policies which will be put in place by this government. If government has got those measures to bring down the cost of fuel, it is a step in the right direction and such initiatives should be supported. I think the government should in fact build more storage facilities of that nature so that even if we have a crisis on the international market, we are able to be sustained until that crisis is resolved.”
“We need also to realize that these conflicts like the conflict in Ukraine and Russia, must teach us a lesson that when there is such a crisis, we must be able to have fuel stocks which can last for a long period of time during that crisis. So I want to say thank you Honorable Kapala for that initiative,” he added.
Recently, Energy Minister Peter Kapala revealed that Government will next year start constructing ethanol plants in provincial centres for blending fuel, as a measure to reduce the cost of petroleum in the country.
Engineer Kapala stated that the blended fuel will use ethanol from cassava, although the wish was to use maize but that is not an option because it could threaten the national food security.