[2019-03-21] Fuel subsidy to Angola’s agricultural and fishing production enters into force in March

Source: Macauhub

The subsidy on the price of fuel for fishing, a measure announced by the Angolan government last February, will enter into force in March, the Minister of Fisheries and the Sea announced in Benguela.

Maria Antonieta Baptista, who is concluding a visit to Benguela province, said she had found companies that use 1,500, 10,000 and even 50,000 litres of fuel for their business to operate normally, which increases production costs.

The Economic Commission of the Council of Ministers last February passed a decree laying down the procedures for granting a subsidy on fuels for agricultural and fishery production.

Meanwhile, the minister ordered an immediate halt to the construction of a large seafront project in that municipality, costing an estimated US$ 3 million, for “non-compliance” with legal procedures.

The project included a shipyard for the construction and repair of boats up to 70 metres long, a cold storage area of 4,200 square metres, a training centre, fish processing area, general workshop, engine room and a fuel tank with a capacity of 25,500 litres, among other support services, work on which was due to be carried out between September 2018 and November 2019.

The minister gave assurances that her office is unaware of any court case related to the project in question or what is planned to be built on the site, according to the Angop news agency.

“The country has laws that have to be complied with, defining the entire Atlantic coastline of the country as a state land reserve, and only the State can authorise any works,” she said.

The Angolan representative of the Angola Daping company said that the 29,000 square-metre plot was purchased from a third party, for 350 million kwanzas, with the consent of the Port Authority.