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Fuel costs too high, World Bank

    JOHANNESBURG

    The World Bank has called for the Zambian government to reduce the price of fuel in the country, the local newspaper The Post reported.

    World Bank country representative Laurence Clarke was quoted as saying that the last tranche of the Fiscal Sustainability Credit, US $50 million out of a US $140 million credit, would only be released on condition that the government dealt with the high fuel costs borne by ordinary Zambians. The World Bank approved the US $140 million credit in July 2000.

    Clarke reportedly said that due to inefficiency, fuel attracted over 100 percent levy in tax and other charges, which could be avoided.

    This meant that Zambian consumers were paying far higher pump price than consumers in other countries. The restructuring of the Zambia National Oil Company, which was reportedly "doing a lousy job", was one of the recommendations by the Bank.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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