Fuel shortage in major cities in Ethiopia affecting daily lives

Addis Ababa, December 23, 2019 (FBC) -Fuel Shortage in major cities of Ethiopia, including the capital Addis Ababa, is affecting daily lives.

Heads of fuel stations approached by FBC and the Ethiopia Petroleum Supply Enterprise (EPSE) don’t know what caused the shortage since last Saturday.

Alemayehu Tsegaye, a public relations senior expert at EPSE, said no reduction was made in the amount of fuel import.

The country is importing daily the same amount of fuel as it was in the past days via Djibouti and Sudan with more than 300 fuel trucks, he said.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI) as well as the Ministry of Mines, Petroleum and Natural Gas said they are not authorized to control fuel distribution in the country.

So who will take the responsibility for the current problems and long lines at gas stations? The shortage is affecting daily lives.

Kassahun Mulat, market inspection and regulatory director at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, said “we will sit and discuss to address the problem.”