2024-02-08 23:07:27
In the Central African Republic, after the military-political crisis of 2013, most gas stations were looted and destroyed in almost all major cities in the country. In Mbaïki, 105 km southwest of the capital, the station had resumed service, but had been shut down again since 2020 following the attempted coup d’état by the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC). ). After years of inactivity in this city, the company TAMOIL RCA which bought the activities of TotalEnergies last April has reopened its Mbaïki station. This recovery not only makes it possible to meet consumers’ needs for petroleum products, but also to revive the socio-economic activities of this large prefecture which rely on fuel.
From our special envoy to Mbaïki,
At the Mbaïki central market, it is 10 a.m. and it is rush hour. In a market alley, it’s difficult to hear anything other than the sound of mill motors. Around ten machines transform cassava, sweet potato, taro and yam into flour.
Saturnin Debona is the owner of three mills. “ In Mbaïki, everyone welcomes the reopening of this service station. We finally have good quality and low price fuel, enthuses the young entrepreneur. I buy the liter at 1 100 CFA francs and I make 100% profit. Every day I use 10 liters for my activities. For one liter consumed, my flour brings in 3,500 CFA francs. »
In her loincloth dress, Geneviève, a trader, waits in line with two bowls of cassava. “ I borrowed a motorcycle taxi for 250 CFA francs to bring my cassavas here. It’s very affordable because in the past months, I was paying double », she explains.
The recommissioning of the station made it possible to bring fuel back in significant quantities and onto the legal market. Consequence: the cost of transport has fallen by half in the city. Welding workshops, small cinemas, vocational training centers, multimedia agencies and administrations that operate with generators can now be supplied more easily.
A price per liter identical to the capital
In his carpentry workshop in the Bombolet district, Alain Sindo has a smile on his face: “ For four years, we have been getting supplies from Congo or Cameroon, two countries close to Mbaïki. We use generators because there is no other source of energy. The liter cost 1 500 CFA francs everywhere in the city and it was rare. Now that fuel is plentiful, we are working constantly, we have many orders. »
The gas station is located in the city center, an accessible and secure location. The resumption of activities has attracted many customers. Two tanker trucks from Bangui have already come to restock the point of sale.
« Currently, we have 13,000 liters of diesel and 13,000 liters of super. We open here at 5 a.m. and close at 5 p.m., specifies Narcisse Lezin, a gas station attendant. There are people who come from surrounding villages such as Bangandou, Mongoumba, Moukoko and others to get supplies. » Ici, we buy fuel at the same price as in the capital. The liter of super is 1100 CFA francs and the liter of diesel is 1350 CFA francs.
The reopening of the gas station is a breath of fresh air for the locality. However, the authorities are raising awareness among Mbaïki residents about potential acts of vandalism that could harm this new economic momentum.
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