Are energy officials drinking their own medicine?

Years back, Botswana energy officials used to track crude oil prices and adjust pump prices every three months. The government had a healthy National Petroleum Fund (NPF) to cushion the effects of high-energy prices at a time of under-recovery.

The move has come to haunt the Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources because of two major reasons.

 
The decision came at a time when crude oil prices are so high that the NPF was on the verge of depletion. By April last year, it was said the fund stood at P150 million.
On the other hand, the monthly adjustments came at a time when government and the monetary authorities had introduced a system of a crawling peg system that came with 12 percent Pula devaluation.

Editor's Comment
A call for collaboration in Botswana’s media landscape

This call is both timely and crucial, as it reflects a growing need for unity and collaboration amongst media bodies to address pressing issues facing the nation.The theme of this year’s Press Freedom Day, “A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the Face of the Environmental Crisis,” resonates deeply with Batswana, particularly in light of the ongoing human and wildlife conflict. Botswana’s rich wildlife population is not only a national...

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