WEST NILE: 20 arrested over illegal sale of fuel

Arua, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | At least 20 people have so far been arrested in the ongoing joint operation against illegal sale of fuel on the streets in West Nile sub region.

The operations which is being carried by the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces, the Uganda Police Force and Uganda Revenue Authority-URA enforcement team commenced mid-last month, after a public outcry from fuel station owners about the rampant illegal sale of un-customed fuel on the streets.

The West Nile region police spokesperson, Josephine Angucia, explains that they have so far produced 20 suspects to court who have been charged with dealing in illicit trade. According to Angucia, among those arrested and later charged are six juveniles.

Jackson Atima, the Member of Parliament for Arua Central Division in Arua city has commended the operations noting that the vice of illegal sale of fuel on the streets has not only caused revenue loss to the government but it is a big security threat for the local population.

Across major towns in West Nile region, petrol is being sold openly on the streets by mainly youth using small jerrycans and containers which contravenes The Petroleum Supply Act of 2003 that prohibits the sale of fuel in jerrycans.

The dealers mostly station themselves at road junction and boda boda stages, while others operate near the entrance of designated fuel stations, which often makes the would-be buyers shun fuel sold from the stations and go for the one sold on the street.

Abdul Mutalib Asiku, the Yumbe district chairperson has rallied the local leaders in the sub-region to join the ongoing efforts by Uganda Revenue Authority to raise revenue for development and service delivery.

According to data from Uganda Revenue Authority, at least 9,600 liters of fuel are smuggled into Uganda through the porous borders every day, which makes the country lose an estimated over UGX 5 billion annually.

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