The Zambian government is losing up to 3 million US dollars everyday in revenue from various sectors of the economy due to the current fuel shortage which is affecting the economy negatively, a local economist said Monday.

Chibamba Kanyama from Zambia State Insurance Corporation said the fuel crisis would affect the country's projected 6 percent GDP growth this year if it is not addressed immediately.

The fuel shortage began from the end of last month after production of the country's sole oil refinery plant, Indeni, was halted for technical maintenance on July 15.

Fuel shortage, diesel in particular, persisted despite the government said it was transporting millions of liters from neighboring countries to carter for the demand for the commodity.

Kanyama said the shortage of diesel, one of the major commodities used by farmers and manufacturers, has affected production levels in some companies.

And farmers in some parts of the country that are currently depending on diesel generators for irrigation have been adversely affected, as the machines are not functioning, he said.

Hundreds of motorists, mostly drivers with vans and trucks, had to queue up at filling stations in the capital to wait for the occasional diesel supply.

Sydney Mawelela, the owner of a private truck, complained that he had lost potential revenue as his truck had been stranded for a third day.

"My business has been adversely affected because I can not operate or service any orders from clients," Mawelela was cited by local newspaper The Post as saying.

"I usually make an income of between 150,000 and 200,000 kwacha (about 30 to 40 dollars) on a good day, but I am now losing out on all that," he said.

Energy and Water Development Minister George Mpombo announced on Sunday that Indeni refinery plant would reopen on Wednesday this week, indicating the oil crisis would end soon.

He further stressed the necessity and importance for the country to have its own strategic oil reserves, which has been put on the government's agenda.

"The lack of oil reserves in the country was a blunder that should not be allowed to continue at any cost," the minister said.

Source: Xinhua