EDITORIAL: Build more gas stations to save foreign currency
What you need to know:
- Given the current demand for CNG and the ever rising petroleum products’ prices, it is time that TPDC upped its game to save Tanzania millions of foreign currency and provide Tanzanians with a cheaper fuel alternative.
The Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation says about 20 firms are building compressed natural gas fueling stations, also known as CNG Daughter Stations in Dar es Salaam and the Coast Region to encourage more motorists move from petrol and diesel to natural gas.
According to TPDC before the end of this year two more CNG Stations will be up and running. They will be built by Taqa Dalbit. In total, according to TPDC, nine gas stations are expected to be completed and start serving customers within 24 months from now. This is commendable.
What is even more laudable is the fact that TPDC has engaged private sector companies to expand the CNG gas stations infrastructure. More should be done, however.
TPDC says the decision to construct more gas fueling stations has been prompted by the huge response from motorists, which has overwhelmed the only fueling station at Ubungo.
In the past week a problem in the access route to the Ubungo station caused long car queues, with motorists waiting hours to fill their vehicles. This is a shame.
TPDC should have been one step ahead of motorists’ demand years ago, by facilitation the construction of as many CNG vehicle fueling stations as possible.
As a public organization entrusted the responsibilities of commercializing Tanzania’s vast natural gas resources TPDC should have been now engaged in a massive campaign to persuade motorists to change from the expensive, imported petrol and diesel to CNG, not the other way round.
But now it is the motorists’ demand that is putting pressure on TPDC to expand CNG fueling infrastructure. In fact the CNG fueling stations should be constructed countrywide to increase Tanzanian motorists access to the cheaper alternative.
The minister for Energy January Makamba said, in his 2022/23 budget speech, that TPDC has been allocated Sh24.2 billion to construct CNG Fueling stations in Dodoma and Dar es Salaam to provide CGN for industrial and domestic needs as well as for fueling cars.
Given the current demand for CNG and the ever rising petroleum products’ prices, it is time that TPDC upped its game to save Tanzania millions of foreign currency and provide Tanzanians with a cheaper fuel alternative.
