The build-up of queues at Tripoli’s petrol stations over the last three to four days has led to the suspension of the chairman of Brega Petroleum Marketing Company, the National Oil Corporation’s (NOC) fuel distribution subsidiary.
Many queues at petrol stations today
Libya Herald witnessed several petrol station queues this morning snaking around roads and roundabouts for several kilometres. The Nebras petrol station had queues stretching to Bab Ben Ghashir. The Al-Naser street petrol station had queues all the way past the old King’s Palace. The Ittihad petrol station queues stretched for at least a couple of kilometres towards the Al-Najar school. The two Ben Ashour petrol stations had caused the road to be closed. Soldiers / militias were manning most of them to stop fights breaking out.
Brega chairman to be investigated
The suspension decision issued today by Tripoli based Libyan prime minister Abd Alhamid Aldabaiba also refers the Brega chairman, Fouad A.M. Belrahaiem, to an administrative investigation, and forms its investigation committee headed by the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance.
All petrol stations to open, and for 24 hours
Aldabaiba also issued instructions to the Acting Minister of Interior, Imad Trabelsi, and (Acting) Chairman of Brega, to oblige fuel distribution companies to open closed petrol stations, and to work 24 hours a day.
Brega blames shortage on late arrival of supply ships – again
Meanwhile, yesterday the official spokesman for Brega, Ahmed Al-Masalati, was quoted by Libyan media as saying that the fuel shortage is beyond the company’s control due to a delay in the movement of tankers.
Al-Masalati reassured the public that on Wednesday (today) and Thursday, tankers loaded with fuel would arrive at Tripoli port, and the beginning of next week will see the decline in petrol station queues.
Analysis
The fuel crisis is a slap in the face for Aldabaiba. It reflects and projects a continuing failure by the Tripoli government, the NOC and its Brega subsidiary. The optics of petrol queues in the capital takes Libya back to the bad old days just after the 2011 revolution. This is not the image the Aldabaiba governments wants to project.
Increased storage capacity
It also suggests a government sleeping on the job. Successive governments have talked about increasing Brega’s fuel storage capacity. This was especially the case after the Fajer Libya/Libya Dawn militia war destroyed several fuel storage tanks at Brega’s Airport Road Fuel Depot.
Clear policy and governance failure by all
It is also a clear failure by Brega and its ability to coordinate shipments of fuel from abroad. There have been several fuel shortage crises since the 2011 revolution, giving governments, the NOC and Brega plenty of time and money over successive budgets to formulate policies to ensure adequate fuel reserves for the country.
But with no elections in sight, there will be no political means for Libyan citizens to express their displeasure at the government.
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Fuel and gas to southern Libya being supplied from Misrata Depot: Brega (libyaherald.com)
Customs Authority returns 22,200 litres of seized smuggled fuel to Brega Company (libyaherald.com)
Tripoli’s petrol stations fitted with generators and CCTV cameras (libyaherald.com)
Brega warns against panic buying, says there is no fuel shortage – LibyaHerald
Tripoli oil minister confirms generators for petrol stations (libyaherald.com)
