Government clarifies unions on reform of fuel subsidies

News from Angola – A delegation of State Secretaries from different ministries held today, in Luanda, a clarification and consultation session with trade unions on the program to reform fuel subsidies, which culminated in the adjustment of the price of gasoline.

During the session that took place at the Aníbal de Melo Press Centre, the Secretary of State for Finance and Treasury, Ottoniel dos Santos reaffirmed the pernicious impact that subsidies had on public accounts, diverting resources that could be channeled to meet other social needs .

The government delegation heard the concerns expressed, and reiterated that “the gasoline cards that are being awarded to licensed taxi drivers, motorcycle taxi drivers and tour-neighborhoods will be charged monthly. Ottoniel dos Santos took the opportunity to reassure visa holders with the measure across the country insofar as the cards will be available to everyone, despite the delays that occur in the delivery of the cards due to logistical and operational constraints. “The subsidy will be loaded onto the card with the retroactive days so that licensed taxi drivers can benefit from the subsidy. There are no reasons for alarm, as the cards are being produced”, he reassured, leaving the guarantee of availability of financial resources for the process.

In the presence of the presidents of the Associação Nova Aliança dos Taxistas de Angola, in addition to some trade union centrals, the Secretary of State called for “the help of the Associations of Taxi Drivers and Motorcycle Taxi Drivers to raise the awareness of their members regarding the process and thus benefit from the support established by the Executive. Currently, he informed, 55 thousand are licensed, of which 1677 blue and white taxi drivers and 51 thousand motorcycle taxi drivers.

For his part, the Secretary of State for Work and Social Security, Pedro Filipe, also recalled that the amounts saved by the State within the scope of the partial elimination of the subsidy on the price of gasoline will be reverted to “support for families” through the National Fund of Employment, to which more than 25 billion kwanzas are earmarked for the start-up phase”, estimating its operationalization from July.

Within the framework of FUNEA, the Government foresees the attribution of a subsidy to trainees of the national professional training system in a scholarship regime to be awarded during the period of validity of the training. Paid professional internships and the financing of micro business projects are also planned.

Recall that, within the framework of the measure, the Angolan authorities have met, in recent days, with businessmen and transport associations to clarify doubts about the gradual elimination of the subsidy on the price of gasoline, which came into effect last Friday, with a package of mitigation measures to support companies and families.

Also participating in the meeting were the Secretaries of State for Petroleum, Agriculture and Fisheries, namely José Barroso, João Cunha and António José da Silva, as well as the PCAdo IGAPE, representatives of the National Land Transport Agency and different Unions.