Comoros: Tanker Arrives Carrying Oil to Ease Fuel Shortage

Text of report by state-owned national radio network Radio Comoros on 6 August

An oil tanker arrived in Moroni on Tuesday [5 August] night. The ship came from Dar es Salaam carrying a month’s supply of fuel. The principal private secretary of state in charge of defence, Mohamed Bacar Dossard, said that it is a normal load which will last a long time. He urged the public to avoid stockpiling fuel to avoid fire and shortages.

As soon as the fuel arrived at Moroni Port and officials of the SCH (Comoran Oil Company) has started distributing fuel to some petrol stations in the capital. Petroleum costs 700 Comoran francs per litre instead of 600 Comoran francs, diesel is 600 Comoran francs instead of 500 Comoran francs while the price of paraffin has been put at 300 Comoran francs instead of 175 Comoran francs per litre.

According to Mohamed Bacar Dossard, tickets for the purchase of fuel (petrol especially reserved for senior officials and ministers) will no longer be respected at petrol stations. All civil servants or ministers now have to make the purchases using their own money.

On Anjouan, the director of the national electricity company has made an appeal to union and island authorities to address the fuel shortage. According to him, if the company does not have petrol within 48 hours, it risks shutting down. Anjouan has been facing a fuel shortage for the past one week. The capital, Mutsamudu, is currently in total darkness.

On Moheli, some officers and civil servants are deserting their offices while some walk tens of kilometres on foot to get to their places of work.

Originally published by Radio Comoros, Moroni, in French 1330 6 Aug 08.

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