Views: 1
Abel Gulu, the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) supervisor for enforcement in northern Uganda, has issued a warning about the alarming prevalence of fuel smuggling in the West Nile sub-region. He emphasizes that this issue is not only a threat to revenue but also poses significant security risks that affect the well-being of present and future generations.
Gulu’s concern is fueled by a tragic incident where 43-year-old Asuru Doreen and her 13-year-old daughter Irene Atibaru lost their lives in a petrol fire at their home in Tobolia Trading Centre, Pelele Village, Ciaba Parish, Logiri sub-county. Doreen, who sold petrol by the roadside, was filling mineral water bottles with petrol when a fire ignited, resulting in the fatal accident.
This devastating event is not isolated. Just earlier this year, another petrol fire incident claimed the lives of a newly married couple in Arua. The couple perished when stored jerrycans filled with petrol caught fire in their home.
In response to these tragedies, Gulu stresses the urgent need for concerted efforts to combat fuel smuggling. He urges stakeholders to launch campaigns against the sale and storage of fuel in residential areas, emphasizing the dire consequences of such practices on public safety and the future of communities.
To address the root causes of fuel smuggling, URA is devising strategies targeting both the supply and demand sides of the fuel value chain. Additionally, perpetrators of fuel smuggling will face prosecution, with children involved in selling fuel being detained in remand homes.
Bilateral engagement with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is also part of the strategy to tackle fuel smuggling in the region. Gulu highlights the importance of uniform tax policies across East African Community countries to minimize discrepancies that facilitate smuggling activities.
Moreover, the porous borders exploited by smugglers require concerted efforts from URA and other security agencies to curb illegal fuel trafficking.Gulu further links the decline in academic performance in the region to children’s involvement in smuggling activities. He emphasizes the detrimental impact of early exposure to illicit activities on children’s education and calls on religious, political, and community leaders to support URA in eradicating smuggling in West Nile and northern Uganda as a whole
source; Ankole times.ug