Published on : 22/09/2022 – 01:06
In the Central African Republic, the fuel crisis, which began in March, continues. In Bangui, the stations which are not closed for lack of supply, are stormed. A black market is organized in parallel. The government fails to restore the situation and accuses the suppliers. Taxis and motorcycle taxis are suffering the effects of the crisis on a daily basis.
From our special correspondent in Bangui,
The word circulated in the street and on the couriers: that morning, the Total station on the avenue des Martyrs had fuel. The queue stretches about fifty meters, Archangel is in the middle with his motorcycle taxi. ” We don’t know what to do! We come to the station at 6 a.m. and sometimes we wait until 7 or 8 p.m. We can’t even find any, fuel Archangel says.
The motorcycle taxis defend their position in the queue, but pedestrians cut it off to fill cans, the police let it happen. Due to the shortage, taxis lose several working days a week, sometimes sleep in front of stations.
Gracien Ndéma Atangtadiao is the general secretary of the SCRTB, one of the unions for taxi and bus drivers. ” Everyone is for the black market! There, you see those who are already served. You see the gentleman in the vest, he is there for “anti-fraud”. The crisis is far from being resolved, especially since everyone is benefiting from it for the moment. »
More expensive and lower quality
At the pump, the price has been stuck at 865 francs per liter for many years. But along the boulevards, it is sold in bottles 30 to 40% more expensive, often cut, which risks damaging the engines. Many stop at these stalls, by constraint, like that of this retailer, installed just in front of a closed station.
We buy in cans: either we fill up at the stations, and we have to leave something with the gas station attendant, 5,000 francs, or at least 3,000 or 4,000, otherwise we buy what comes from neighboring countries, such as Cameroon, Sudan, DRC. They leave us the fuel at 1,000 francs a liter, and we sell it, at 1,100, 1,200 francs. This is how we feed our families. Sometimes the police show up and confiscate everything. But lately, given the shortage, we’ve been left alone.
The government has repeatedly promised a return to normal in recent months, but carriers say the situation has not improved. The Minister of Communication, Serge Djorie, affirms that the stocks are there, and openly accuses the Total group of organizing the shortage. The suppliers deny this, but refuse to comment. A UN source explains that at the current price, they are selling at a loss, hence the low import volumes.