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Business Reporter
State petroleum entity, Petrotrade, has reaffirmed its commitment to grow its market share in Zimbabwe by constructing at least eight more service stations across the country in the next two years.
Petrotrade commenced operations after the unbundling of its forerunner, the National Oil Company of Zimbabwe (NocZim).
The National Oil and Infrastructure Company (Noic) — which is also into fuel transportation and storage — was born after the unbundling of NocZim.
Speaking on the side-lines of the organisations ISO 9001:2015 certification ceremony Petrotrade acting chief executive officer Godfrey Ncube said the group has started making headways in terms of construction works on sites dotted across the country with the aim of growing the company`s local footprint.
“We have four sites that are ongoing at the moment which are at different stages of completion we have got one site in Mabvuku, Warren Park, Bindura and Masvingo. The one in Mabvuku is about 80 percent complete but the others are between 45 and 30 percent completion,” said Mr Ncube.
He also highlighted that the organisation had completed work on environment impact assessment certificates and they awaited to begin construction which is expected to begin in the 2019 financial year.
“Our aim is to develop four service stations per year we have got environmental impact assessment certificates for other four service stations that we are ear marking to start in 2019 of course we have got Epworth which is almost done what is left is just to start, we have got one in Chinhoyi, Norton and Mandamabwe we are earmarking those ones for the next phase once we are done with the first four,” he said.
The move comes as the company is in the process of securing a strategic partner that will help grow the company`s local footprint, as the state entity moves towards achieving Government’s partial privatisation strategy.
Online Reporter