Imminent Fuel Shortage Strikes Lakes State as Most Stations Close Operations

In a concerning turn of events, Lakes State is facing an impending fuel shortage as numerous fuel stations ceased their operations on Monday due to the depletion of petrol and diesel reserves.

The development has caused anxiety among residents, with long queues forming at the two operational fuel stations in Rumbek town as motorists rush to secure fuel for their vehicles.

Abdul Fatah Juma, the Manager of Rafiki Petroleum Station, shed light on the root cause of the fuel shortage, attributing it to the local currency’s decline against hard currency. He expressed his concerns, stating, “If this fuel finishes here, we will still wait for the government to approve the requested price. This problem is because of an increase of the US dollar exchange rate, it is up and down.”

Juma further elaborated on the pricing dynamics, highlighting the disparity between fuel prices in Juba and Rumbek.

“A litre of fuel in Juba is sold at 3,000 SSP. And for us here, we bring this fuel directly from Kenya to Rumbek. Once a litre is sold at 3,000 SSP in Juba, then we can’t work here at 2,400 SSP and I think this could be the reason why many petroleum stations stopped to operate,” He shared.

In response to the challenging circumstances, Juma mentioned that they have requested the government to authorize the sale of a litre at 3,200 SSP and are presently awaiting approval.

The ongoing situation underscores the pressing need for swift action to address the fuel shortage crisis in Lakes State.