Ituri: Oil importers threaten to close their gas stations, due to high tax from the DRC’s hydrocarbons division
Importers of petroleum products in Ituri are protesting against a tax estimated at 175,000 US dollars per oil importer from Ituri. This is revealed by the content of a joint letter, signed on October 19, 2021 by Daniel Mugisa, provincial president of importers of petroleum products and Arsène Lombu, interim president of the provincial council of the FEC Ituri representing his incapacitated leader addressed to the national minister of hydrocarbons after their meeting held on Monday, October 18, 2021 at Gold Stars Hotel.
These importers of fuel and its substitutes are asking the Minister for the outright annulment of his decision to avoid inconvenience in this sector in Ituri and that FEC Ituri too, supports them in this process which aims to bring back oil companies to their rights.
“None of our members struck by the debit and collection notes that we see have concluded the contract for the supply of petroleum products with the Congolese State because they do not meet the conditions to be a professional supplier. importers or distributors of petroleum products, they are governed by decrees regulating the activity of importing and marketing as well as the transport-storage of petroleum products which they regularly comply with and may in no case be subject to the obligations from a supplier in non-fiscal matters. Hence this tax is wrong for us importers since it concerns suppliers that we are not “, informs the content of this letter.
And to add that:
“Our members being importers and distributors of petroleum products well identified by the provincial division of hydrocarbons and the provincial division of the national economy to these qualities and not suppliers, the FEC of which the tankers are part would be grateful to you, Excellency Mr. Minister to cancel purely and simply this erroneous perception in order to prevent any inconvenience “.
It should be noted that during this period of the state of siege, this measure could have consequences, especially since all the service stations in all the 5 territories of Ituri, and those of Bunia will not operate for a period of 2 weeks. firm.