Diesel crisis fuels extra burdens for citizens

Long queues of vehicles are seen at most gas staions spending hours to get small amounts of diesel. Many men who queue to get diesel in small containers are banned from getting the fuel as the Ministry of Oil ban filling conatiners in gas stations.

The oil market is witnessing a lack of diesel these days causing numerous economic problems and embarrassing situations among the policy-makers who each lays the blame on the other for the crisis.

The Ministry of Oil and Mineral referred this problem back to the lack of financial resources to cover the deficit to import enough quantities of diesel according to a source from the Ministry of Oil who preferred to remain anonymous. 

People in charge at the Ministry of Oil and Mineral refused to comment on the issue. The needy, mostly farmers and average citizens, of this substance are queuing in gas stations for many hours in gas stations all over the capital and many other governorates. Most of the stations have been closed for two weeks.
 
An anonymous source from the Ministry of Oil confirmed this dire situation. In a response to this current crisis, the government formed a special committee from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Oil and Ministry of Trade and Industry to tackle this issue and provide immediate solutions. The same sources told the Yemen Observer that no price increase on the diesel will emerge at all.  

The citizens complain that this crisis caused the price increase of water tankers that raised the cost of one tanker from YR 1,000 to YR 2,000 as owners of water tank vehicles said that owners of private water wells increase the price from YR300 to YR600 as well as the farmers who raised the prices of agricultural products due to this crises causing added economic burdens on citizens.

The lack of diesel fuel in the market resulted in its sale on the black market for higher prices that reached up to double the going price, according to some citizens. 

The diesel crisis peaked three times during this month.  

Minister of Oil and Minerals, Amir al-Aidarous, visited Aden Refinery during the first third of this month to look for the reasons behind the crisis.

During this visit, the Minister of Oil and Mineral said that his visit came in conformity with finding solutions for the problems accompanying the distribution of oil derivatives as well as for all difficulties in order to meet the increasing demand of diesel in the country. 

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