HP Afromedia Ltd

By Songa wa Songa, The Citizen Correspondent

Dar es Salaam. Retail oil prices have fallen slightly in Mainland Tanzania, the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (Ewura) has announced.
Compared with prices applied in the last two weeks, pump prices with their percentages in brackets have eased by Sh44.55 (2.11) a litre for petrol, Sh31.99 (1.57) for diesel and Sh25.62 (1.28) for kerosene.
The new rates will be applicable in a fortnight, Ewura said in a  public notice yesterday. The reviews are made fortnightly.

Wholesale prices declined by Sh44.55 (2.18) for petrol, by Sh31.99 (1.63) for diesel and Sh25.62 (1.32) for kerosene.

Its director general Haruna Masebu attributed the reduction to a decline in global oil prices.
Had the shilling been strong, local fuel prices would have decreased substantially, he said.
 In the past two weeks, the shilling lost ground against the greenback by 0.57 per cent. Traders use dollars for their imports.

Mr Masebu noted that the petrol retail price eased by 4.04 per cent, diesel by 3.12 per cent and kerosene by 2.69 per cent at the world market.
He said the use of the new formula had made prices lower than they would have been under the old measurement.

Ewura is encouraging competition among oil marketing companies. “They are free to sell the products at prices that give them competitive advantage, provided that such prices do not exceed price caps.”
It has also instructed all filling stations to display prices of petroleum products on clearly visible boards, indicating discounts offered as well as any trade incentives or promotions.
“It is an offence not to have prices displayed on boards located in clearly visible places in front of petrol stations as that will attract punitive measures,” Mr Masebu warned. “That should go hand in hand with the issuance of receipts to all sales made.”

Meanwhile the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (Ewura) has issued compliance orders to three companies for various offences.

According to a statement by the Ewura Communications and Public Relations Office, the Kobil Kigamboni Depot has been given seven days to defend itself why it should not be punished for offering for sale Offspec Mogas (Petrol Super), which was closed by the regulator on August 26 this year.

Hass of Magu has been handed a compliance order for defying Ewura by cutting seals and proceeding with selling oil. The station was closed on August 26.
Petro Mafinga petrol station has also been served with an Ewura order for obstructing inspectors from taking petroleum samples.