Government has described the continuation of fuel import from Mozambique to Lilongwe via rail as a huge milestone.
Minister of Trade and Industry Sosten Gwengwe made the remarks at the National Oil Company of Malawi (NOCMA) offices in Lilongwe when he led dozens of Malawians in witnessing the first unloading of fuel transported through rail, 21 years after the service was suspended.
The minister told ProjectM on the sidelines of the function that the use of rail will among others stabilise fuel imports, prices as well as availability.
“As government, we are happy that importation of fuel via rail has resumed years after the service was abandoned,” he said.
The minister then implored NOCMA to ramp up importation of fuel via rail, saying it is a sustainable way of cutting import costs.
In his remarks , NOCMA chief executive officer Clement Kanyama said the company has resumed the importation of fuel via rail after a successful rehabilitation of a railway line from Nacala in Mozambique via Marka in Nsanje district to Mchinji border.
Kanyama described the development as a momentous occasion.
“As NOCMA, we are delighted with this development because we believe importing fuel via rail will ease fuel shortages that have plagued the country for a long time,” said Kanyama.
During the occasion, delegates including government officials, civil society representatives and the media witnessed the unloading of over 800,00 litres of diesel.
“Let me assure you that this is just a start, soon we will ramp up importation via rail,” said Kanyama.
One of the country’s citizens who witnessed the occasion, Hellen Kazembe commended the Central Africa Railways
/Nacala Logistics for revamping the country’s rail transport, saying it will ease transportation costs.
The train carrying the fuel travelled a distance of 988 kilometres from Nacala in Mozambique to NOCMA depot in Lilongwe, carrying the precious commodity.
