By CHATULA KANGALI –
GOVERNMENT has extended the tender for the supply of finished petroleum products to May, this year due some technical observations.
The ministry of Energy last month advertised for tenders for the supply of finished fuel products.
The tender which closed on April 29, has been extended to May 20, this year.
Energy Permanent Secretary Emeldah Chola confirmed the development in an interview yesterday.
Brigadier General Chola said that Government extended the tender to “sort out a few things” which were observed from the bidders.
“The tender was supposed to close on April 29 but we have extended it to May 20, to address one or two observations.  This will also give other companies more time to bid for the supply of finished fuel,” she said.
She added that her ministry would this week conduct a pre-bid meeting on the extension of the tender.
Energy Minister Dora Siliya had early this year announced that Government would increase the number of fuel suppliers to import fuel into the country to avoid shortages in an event of a disruption.
She had said this after  some parts of the country were hit by a critical shortage of fuel resulting from the shutting down of operations at Indeni  Petroleum  Refinery due to lack of feedstock.
Ms Siliya had said that Government would remain the major importer of fuel in the country through TAZAMA Oil Pipeline because it was still expensive to transport the commodity.