By Steven Zande
THE Zambians for Empowerment and Development (ZED) has praised the Government for cutting fuel prices because any reduction in petroleum pump prices has a direct positive impact on Zambians.
ZED president Fred Mutesa said the reduction was a commendable move which demonstrated the Government’s resolve to cushion Zambians against exorbitant fuel prices which would cause extreme suffering among the people.
“Any reduction in fuel prices, no matter how marginal, is a welcome development, which constitutes savings to consumers.
“This shows that President Edgar Lungu’s Government has been working tirelessly to see to it that Zambians enjoy favourable fuel prices,” Dr Mutesa said.
He said in an interview yesterday that this also indicated that going forward, the Government under the leadership of Mr Lungu had potential to deliver more economic benefits to Zambians.
“We should know that this was done after scientific computation and not to appease people, hence I don’t understand people who demean the reduction,” Dr Mutesa said.
However, the United Party for National Development (UPND) spokesperson Charles Kakoma in a separate interview said ERB should have reduced fuel prices earlier to cushion farmers who used fuel in their implements in the 2016/2017 farming season.
Mr Kakoma said farmers could have produced cheaper food, hence the reduction was insignificant and would not help cut production costs and public transport bus fares.
“ERB should have reduced fuel prices before the farming season so that farmers could produce cheaper food,” he said.
Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) spokesperson Antonio Mwanza said the ERB should have reversed last year’s increment as the current move was insignificant and would not help bring down the cost of goods and services in the nation.
Mr Mwanza urged the ERB to consider reviewing the fuel supply chain to ensure that in future local fuel prices remained consistent with overall prices on the international market.
National Restoration Party (NAREP) general secretary Ezra Ngulube appealed to bus operators to consider reducing bus fares despite incurring additional costs like hiked insurance costs and road toll fees.