By MAIMBOLWA MULIKELELA –

 GOVERNMENT will spend K8 million to construct two filling stations in Mporokoso and Luwingu districts in Northern Province, Mines, Energy and Water Development Deputy Minister in charge of energy Charles Zulu has said.

 This is aimed at making fuel available to the two districts that currently depend on Kasama town which is about 200 kilometres away.

 Mr Zulu said the Government would spend about K4 million to setup a filling station in Mporokoso and another K4 million in Luwingu District respectively.

 “We will be setting up two filling stations every year in areas where they are no filling stations and this year we are starting with Mporokoso and Luwingu districts and funds are available for the construction works,” Mr Zulu said.

 In an interview in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Zulu said a consultant had already been engaged and was already on site, adding that the construction work would soon commence.

 He said Government’s role was that of encouraging an enabling environment for the private sector and as a way of encouraging construction of filling stations in the rural areas.

 Mr Zulu said: “Once the construction of the filling stations was completed, they will be handed over to the people or the cooperatives to run them. What we want as Government is to encourage private participation in this sector especially in the rural areas.”

 Commenting on the fuel storage depots, Mr Zulu said the Mpika depot was almost complete and would soon be commissioned.

 Mpika depot will have a combined capacity of 6.5 million litres comprising diesel, petrol and kerosene, product loading gantries, fire fighting system and offices.

 Recently, Government commissioned the Lusaka fuel storage depot which consists of six product tanks with a combined capacity of 25 million litres of diesel, petrol and kerosene.