Economic news in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Oil workers in the southern region begin a new strike movement
Oil workers in the southern zone of the Democratic Republic of Congo recently launched a strike to protest against the failings of the Congolese government. The latter have stopped the sale of petroleum products, arguing that the government has not respected its commitments. However, the government had promised to reimburse the losses suffered by oil tankers and to adjust the price structure by October 15 at the latest. Unfortunately, these promises were not kept and despite numerous warnings from oil tankers, no solution was found.
The city of Lubumbashi, capital of Haut-Katanga, is particularly affected by this strike. The sale of fuel in the Katanga region is now at a standstill, with some service stations remaining closed. This interruption in the sale of fuel has also had an impact on the public transport sector, with drivers having significantly increased their prices to compensate for the difficulty in accessing fuel. Some drivers even doubled their prices, which led to a significant increase in the price of a liter of gasoline at retailers, reaching more than 5,000 Congolese francs.
This strike movement follows a previous movement in September, where the government sent two members to negotiate with the oil tankers. An agreement had been reached, with the promise of reimbursing losses by October 15. However, oil companies claim that this agreement has not been respected and question the implementation of a new price structure in the face of rising fuel prices on the international market.
This new oil tanker strike is causing significant economic disruption and highlights the difficulties facing the Congolese economy. Indeed, the lack of fuel impacts not only populations who struggle to travel, but also traders and businesses who rely heavily on transport for their activities.
It is therefore crucial that the Congolese government quickly finds a solution to this crisis to avoid a deeper deterioration of the country’s economy. Oil companies need guarantees and financial support in order to continue their activities and preserve jobs linked to this vital industry for the economic development of the southern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In conclusion, the oil strike in the Democratic Republic of Congo is a symptom of a broader problem of economic management. It is essential that the government takes rapid action to resolve this crisis and support key players in the oil sector in order to stabilize the economy and preserve employment and the well-being of the populations concerned.