• ESMAZ feels elated by the reduction in fuel prices by ERB.
• It’s a breather to miners both large and small scale, those that use diesel for extraction of minerals.
• ESMAZ would want to see more reductions going forward.

Emeralds and Semi-Precious Stones Mining Association of Zambia (ESMAZ) says the reduction in fuel prices for April 2023 is a relief to large and small scale miners who use diesel for the extraction of minerals.
Speaking to Money FM News, Association President Victor Kalesha said now that the rain season is almost over, miners will be getting into open pit mining projects in the gemstone sector and other small sale mining activities where a lot of diesel is used to pump out water as well as excavators.
Mr. Kalesha stated that the drop in fuel prices is a breather for the miners and they would want to see more reductions going forward.
“We are going into the open pit mining projects in gemstone sector and other small sale mining where we use a lot of diesel in terms of pumping out water as well as excavators and dump truck, so the reduction is quite a breather to the small scale miners,” Mr. Kalesha stated.
He commended government for putting in place measures aimed at ensuring that prices of petroleum products come down and stabilize.
“ESMAZ feels elated by the reduction in fuel prices by Energy Regulation Board (ERB). We would like to feel this will stabilize and as it stabilizes, we would have more reduction that will be more permanent. So we want to appreciate the government’s efforts that they are putting in, in terms of making sure that this fuel price should definitely come down and stabilize,” he added.
On Friday, Energy Regulation Board announced a reduction in the pump prices of petrol and low Sulphur diesel by 93 ngwee and K2.97 per liter respectively.
Petrol which was previously selling at K28.52 ngwee per liter is now K27.59 ngwee while low Sulphur diesel has reduced from K29.25 ngwee to K26.28 ngwee, Kerosene and Jet A-1 fuel at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport remain unchanged at K22.29 ngwee and K25.34 respectively.