ENERGY Minister Peter Kapala says government owes suppliers of petroleum products a colossal sum of money which at present stands at US$524 million. Kapala says the low compliance levels by government contracted suppliers and Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) with regards to the usage of local transporters might be attributed to the difference in the transportation rates between local and foreign transporters. When asked by Kabushi PF member of parliament Bowman Lusambo why Zambian tankers were not allowed in other countries like Malawi and when government would give ‘total’ businesses to Zambian transporters to transport fuel, Kapala said as a result of the debt, the suppliers of petroleum products had somehow slowed down in the importation of the commodity. “Madam Speaker,...