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Zimbabwe: Govt Makes Available Fuel for School Buses
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 Published by the government of Zimbabwe |
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The Herald (Harare)
28 April 2008
Posted to the web 28 April 2008
Harare
GOVERNMENT has made available 260 000 litres of fuel for buses ferrying pupils to various boarding schools for the second term which begins tomorrow.
Conventional buses would this morning collect fuel from two service stations in Harare and designated filling stations in other towns.
National Oil Company of Zimbabwe chief executive Mr Zvinechimwe Churu said his company, in consultation with the Public Transport Organisation, had provided diesel to ensure that boarders get to school smoothly.
"The arrangements have always been in place as we work with the organisation on a daily basis. We have always availed fuel to assist them on both the rural and urban routes. Everything is in order and we have advised them where to pick up the fuel," he said.
Mr Edward Chawasarira, the PTO president, said buses were ready to ferry schoolchildren to their various destinations.
"The diesel is ready and we communicated with our members that the fuel will be available at two service stations, namely M & M in Zimre Park and Exor in Houghton Park.
"The agreement we have with Noczim is that our buses will go to their usual pick-up points, and get the kids before proceeding to either of the service stations to get fuel," said Mr Chawasarira.
The fuel is expected to ease transport problems for schoolchildren, especially these days when transport
operators are charging exorbitant fares.
The fuel scheme was necessitated by the fact that many children were being left stranded on opening days.
Meanwhile, the Government has secured adequate fuel for the harvesting of the 2007/8 summer crop and land preparations for the winter wheat programme.
Mr Churu said his company had made available six million litres of fuel that came as a quantum specifically meant for the harvesting of the summer crop and land preparation for this year's winter wheat.
"To date, half of this quantity has already been distributed to various selling points dotted across the country where farmers can access the commodity.
"I must also add that the movement of the fuel to the different points has now entered its third week and farmers can get the product at subsidised prices," said Mr Churu.
Mr Churu said farmers could get fuel straight from Noczim in Harare, Power Fuels in Ruwa, BJ depot in Chegutu, BP and Exor depots in Chinhoyi, Exor depot in Banket, BP depots in Bindura, Bulawayo and Kwekwe, Caltex in Masvingo, BP and Noczim Feruka in Mutare and Noczim in Beitbridge.
He said the distribution of fuel this time around was going to be much faster because Noczim had a database with details of most wheat farmers from previous seasons. This would enable them to liaise with people at the selling points, Agritex and the police to enable farmers to get their allocations without hassles.
Mr Churu said the Ministry of Agriculture had indicated that 9,5 million litres of fuel were needed for the winter wheat programme so Noczim would ensure that the outstanding 3,5 million litres were also going to be made available in time for land preparations.
However, Mr Churu castigated farmers who took advantage of this Government scheme to pursue their own selfish motives by reselling the fuel on the parallel market.
"Farmers should desist from abusing this facility as the Government designed it with the sole intention of enhancing food security hence the low pricing of the commodity to make it accessible to all farmers," he warned.
Mr Churu warned that the Government would not hesitate to deal with farmers caught abusing the facility, as this was tantamount to derailing the gains of the agrarian revolution.
"We are going to work with the Grain Marketing Board (GMB), Agritex and the national fuel taskforce that comprises the police, the army, officials from the Ministry of Energy, Noczim and representatives from the President's Office to plug all loopholes and curb abuse of the facility," he added.
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This year the country targets to plant between 60 000 and 70 000 hectares of wheat. Over 400 000 tonnes of the cereal are consumed annually.
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