It has been pointed out that there is a distribution problem due to the non-replacement of the stations destroyed by the development of the corridor
Due to the reduced service capacity of the Horizon Oil Storage Depot in Djibouti, a proposal to import fuel through Berbera port in Somaliland is pending government decision.
Ato Lemesa Tulu, director of oil products marketing research at the Oil and Energy Authority, told the reporter that the reduction in service capacity of the Horizon fuel storage depot in Djibouti is causing disruptions in fuel supply in Ethiopia.
“The government doesn’t have a problem buying fuel,” said Mr. Le Mesa, but he explained that the service provided by Horizon, Djibouti’s fuel storage depot, has been reduced for 18 years since it was built and has never been repaired.
Explaining the decrease in service capacity through Djibouti, “For example, we need ten million liters of diesel per day, but the amount of fuel shipped from Djibouti is decreasing. Out of the ten million liters we need per day, only eight million liters are being released per day,” he said.
Mr. Lemesa said that he believes that other alternative ports need to be used to solve this problem. He stated that a study has been done so that as much fuel as the port of Djibouti can handle, should be imported through Djibouti, and the rest should be found and imported through another port.
“Accordingly, Somaliland’s Berbera Port has convenient and adequate service facilities, it has been identified through research, a recommendation to use the port has been submitted to the government and a decision is being awaited,” he said.
He said that if the problem at the port of Djibouti is not resolved, the disruption in oil supply will continue next year.
In addition to the problem in Djibouti, another reason for the disruption of fuel supply in Addis Ababa is that the Addis Ababa city administration has not taken action to quickly replace the destroyed gas stations in the corridor development.
Mr. Lemesa pointed out that when eight gas stations were demolished in the corridor development, replacement stations were not considered, and as a result, gas stations are disappearing in the center of the city.
He explained that in the corridor development that has been carried out so far, three stations (Bole Nok, Bole Brass Total and Nyala Motors Nok) have been demolished, three stations from Four Kilo to Piazza and the stations in front of Kazanchis and Mexico Wabi Shebele have been demolished.
“Gas stations are disappearing from downtown. For example, there is no station between four and six kilos. There is not a single station near the piazza. Bowl to intersection, too. There is not a single station from Urail to Bole,” he said.
Therefore, when the city administration demolished the stations, they should have prepared a place for the same use in the same area.
He also pointed out that a total of 17 stations will be demolished during the development of the corridor, including the stations that have been demolished so far.
Addis Ababa city needs 1.6 million liters of gasoline per day, and it has been reported that the oil and energy authority has distributed gasoline from the Sululta reserve depot to twenty fuel tanks to alleviate the recent fuel shortage
In his comments to ETV, Getachew Amonwe, Director of Fuel Distribution at the Oil and Energy Authority, presented other reasons for the problem.
Mr. Getachew stated that there is no shortage of fuel supply as up to 1.6 million liters of fuel is being supplied to Addis Ababa city per day, but all gas stations cannot have equal supply in one day.
The director said that 120 stations are providing service in Addis Ababa, adding that although most of the stations have four machines, some of them are providing service with only one machine.
He also said that the authority is working to find out and solve other causes of the problem.
Currently, there are more than 770,000 gasoline vehicles in Addis Ababa, and only 120 gas stations provide service for these vehicles.