Tanzania: EWURA To Enforce Petroleum Act 2008

Haruna Masebu, the director-general of the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority said that all petrol dealers who will not have met the March 31 deadline will have their premises closed. The licensing criteria include submission of a layout plan for the petrol station; a building permit or authorisation by the relevant authority; the presnec of fire extinguishing equipment — with one extinguisher per pump island, and an emergency shutoff switch.

Mr Masebu said Dar es Salaam was the worst hit as it had the most petrol stations. “Of the 284 that applied for licences in Dar 156 failed to meet the laid down criteria,” he said. A total of 1125 dealers applied for fuel  retail licences for petroleum products but only 495 met Ewura’s regulations.

Some of the shortfalls cited for wholesalers were a lack of guarantor and a binding agreement between them and the proprietors of the premises to be used for storage. Wholesalers are also required to have Tsh1 billion ($ 746,268) bond.

In relation to fuel wholesalers, an estimated 45 of the 117 wholesalers met the requirements for operating licences. Titus Kaguo, the public relations and communications manager of Ewura said lack of proof of financial ability and hospitality arrangement was the main reason cited in the case of wholesalers. “Most lacked a Certificate of Occupancy allowing the development of a petrol station,” said Mr Kaguo.

Second after Dar es Salaam was Arusha, were the Authority denied operating licenses to 49 out of 95 applicants. In Kilimanjaro, 45 applicants out of the 77 who applied for the licence were denied. The new licence addresses health issues, safety and compliance, termination, transfer of licence, rights and obligations of licensees, maintenance of records and procurement procedures.

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