PUMA MUST EXPLAIN OIL SCAM
PUMA Energy Zambia must tell the nation which company has been using their documents to smuggle fuel into the country and not to exonerate themselves over the matter because that is the role of investigative wings, the Petroleum Transporters Association of Zambia (PTAZ) has charged.
And the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) says it has instituted investigations to ascertain possible breaches of licence conditions by the affected parties in the recently unearthed fuel smuggling syndicate.
Puma Energy Zambia has disputed a statement by the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) that it was behind the smuggling of diesel and petrol into the country under the pretext that it was Jet A1 which is duty free.
Puma managing director Yahaya Yunisa said the alleged smuggling of fuel first came to the company’s attention in September this year and that while the company cooperated with ZRA over its investigations, it also took its own independent investigations which unearthed the culprit which the company did not name.
But speaking to the Daily Nation yesterday, PTAZ secretary general Benson Tembo said it was not up to Puma to exonerate itself over allegations levelled against it as there were responsible investigative wings which should do so when it becomes clear the company was not involved in the mischief.
Mr. Tembo challenged Puma to name the people who were using its name to engage in sinister activities as established by its independent investigations on which the company was basing its arguments against the findings of ZRA.
“If Puma feels that what ZRA has told the nation is not true, it is not up to them to exonerate themselves because ERB has sufficient laws to deal with that matter. Further, Puma must tell the Zambians which company is stealing from them through tax evasion other than just saying someone is using their documents because that is open-ended. We want concrete evidence,” Mr. Tembo said.
And ERB acting director of consumer and public affairs, Fred Hang’andu, said ERB was on high alert to ensure that smuggled fuel was not offloaded onto the Zambian market adding that the board was concerned with the rise in reported cases of fuel being smuggled into the country.
Mr. Hang’andu said unlike smuggled oil, legally imported fuel was checked for conformity through the certificate of quality submitted by the ZABS at points of entry.
“Following recent media reports of smuggling of fuel, ERB has instituted investigations to ascertain the possible breaches of licence conditions by the affected parties as well as assure strict adherence to quality specifications.
“Smuggling fuel into the country does not only deprive the Government of the much-needed revenue, but also risk the quality of fuel on the market. This is because the quality of fuel smuggled cannot be guaranteed as it is not subjected to checks to verify compliance to set standards,” Mr. Hang’andu said.