By JUDITH NAMUTOWE –
THE Biofuels Association of Zambia (BAZ) has urged Government to expedite biofuel production in the country to reduce the cost of importing fuel.
BAZ president Thomson Sinkala said having a fully-fledged industry, would help create jobs and wealth for vulnerable people in the country.
Professor Sinkala said this would further reduce on importation costs as 9.5 per cent gasoline currently being imported would be produced locally thereby empowering Zambians.
He was speaking in an interview in Lusaka yesterday.
“Government needs to act fast and expedite the production of biofuel in the country as doing so, will help the country reduce the cost of importing fuel.
“We say so because if biofuel is produced locally, every Zambian will be part of the value chain, this will create the much needed jobs and wealth for the vulnerable people,” Prof Sinkala said.
He noted that the country was currently spending millions of Kwacha every month to import fuel products such as gasoline, a situation which could be changed if the production of biofuel is expedited.
The use of biofuels as a supplementary source of fuel would reduce the country’s dependence on imported crude oil by at least 10 per cent.
Government in 2013 advertised tenders for the supply and production of ethanol for blending into gasoline.
In 2014, the advertisement was cancelled without reasons being stated hence, Prof Sinkala’s call that Government should move fast and quicken the process of re-advertising ethanol tenders for blending.