The state government of Jonglei is accused of ordering fuel station owners in Bor to provide petrol and diesel to the government at unfavorable prices, a policy that has made the fuel shortage in the state even worse.
According to station owners, the government forced them to accept wholesale deals instead of retail sales which involve the entire public. The ‘forced’ sales have been going on for at least one month since the fuel scarcity started two months ago, according to sources.
One of the station managers who asked not to be named said the government explained that they needed the fuel so that they continue public services such as hospitals.
He pointed out that private cars and boda-boda cyclists have either parked or resorted to buying so-called ‘black market’ fuel because the government officials come to take most of their fuel.
“All cars, boda-boda are parked… usually the government comes with drums and they take the fuel… I am left with little for use,” one of the fuel station managers said. He did not provide details about the rate of sale.
He told Radio Tamazuj that it is more than two months since the fuel shortage and said consumers have been buying from the black market.
For his part, the state government’s spokesperson denied the report that the government took fuel at unfavorable prices for the station owners.
“We don’t have the petrol now in the ministries. They don’t even have petroI,” said Jody Jonglei.
At the port in Bor, most motorboats have stopped operations due to scarcity of fuel, harming fishing and transport businesses. The fishermen used to transport their fish from the fishing sites to the market places.