Gas Crisis evolves with Eid approaching.

Gas crises increase before any Islamic occasion in Yemen, and this time of year is no different. The approaching Eid Al-Adha'a, or Celebration of Sacrifice, has thrown Yemen into another gas crisis.

Yemen witnessed gas shortages during the early days of Ramadan, as well as holidays in past years, without any justification. Gas sellers and influential people have a monopoly on this important substance, and use these occasions to increase the prices of gas due to the rise in demand.

The prices of gas cylinders have doubled. The usual price is 650 YR but during this period it has hiked to 1300 YR.

"Yesterday, after a long search for gas, I bought a gas cylinder for YR 1300," said Naser al-Hamami, a government employee. "I am wondering what the reasons are behind this crisis, wasn't Yemen exporting its first shipment of gas two weeks ago? There is corruption in the country. Yemen is rich in gas so what are the justifications of this increase?"

Al-Hamami, who is close to official sources, believes that concerned parties, particularly municipal officials do not perform their duties honestly in monitoring the process of selling gas because they take a part of gas revenues for themselves.

This means that when the gas prices increase, the portion for municipal officals increases automatically.

Gas vendors find their business has become difficult, and find themselves waiting for days to refill their supply of gas to sell to their customers.

"I have been waiting for three consecutive days to get gas from gas stores but to no avail," said Mohammad al-Usabi, an owner of a handcart he uses for house-to-house gas selling. "Nowadays, I am without work because I cannot afford to buy from my distributors, as they sell a cylinder for YR 900, and that is the vendor price."

Al- Usabi said he finds it difficult to sell gas to his customers for more than YR 900 because of the price, and prefers waiting until the crises is over to resume his work.

Men, women and children are waiting in long lines at gas stores searching for gas. According to them, these stores sell propane cylinders for YR 650.

The problem is greater for owners of cafes and restaurants. Some of them have closed their shops because of a lack of gas.

"I closed my coffee shop because I cannot get gas to cook and make tea for my customers," said Gamil al-Hazmi, owner of a coffee shop in the al-Hasaba area.

The Ministry of Oil and Minerals did not give specific information about the gas crisis, and attributed the shortage to a group in the Mareb governorate which has tried to stop gas trucks from coming from Mareb to Sana'a.

"Last Wednesday, a gang of people, looking for money, tried to stop the trucks but the problem was solved two days ago," said Ministry of Oil and Minerals' Spokesperson Aref Muharram.

He went on to say that gas sellers, both owners of gas stores and gas vendors, utilized this incident to raise the prices of cooking gas. "The crisis is over, gas stores are full of gas and people have to be assured everything is OK," said Muharram.

Two weeks ago, Yemen exported the first shipment of natural liquefied gas from its five-billion-dollar strategic gas project in the Mareb governorate, via Balhaf Port, Shabwa governorate, to American and Asian markets.

Yemen is one of the fifth countries in the world which has giant gas reserves. It is considered the second in the Arab world, after Qatar, in terms of producing and exporting natural gas to the world.

Copyright Yemen Times. All rights reserved.

Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company

Gas Crisis evolves with Eid approaching.

Gas crises increase before any Islamic occasion in Yemen, and this time of year is no different. The approaching Eid Al-Adha'a, or Celebration of Sacrifice, has thrown Yemen into another gas crisis.

Yemen witnessed gas shortages during the early days of Ramadan, as well as holidays in past years, without any justification. Gas sellers and influential people have a monopoly on this important substance, and use these occasions to increase the prices of gas due to the rise in demand.

The prices of gas cylinders have doubled. The usual price is 650 YR but during this period it has hiked to 1300 YR.

"Yesterday, after a long search for gas, I bought a gas cylinder for YR 1300," said Naser al-Hamami, a government employee. "I am wondering what the reasons are behind this crisis, wasn't Yemen exporting its first shipment of gas two weeks ago? There is corruption in the country. Yemen is rich in gas so what are the justifications of this increase?"

Al-Hamami, who is close to official sources, believes that concerned parties, particularly municipal officials do not perform their duties honestly in monitoring the process of selling gas because they take a part of gas revenues for themselves.

This means that when the gas prices increase, the portion for municipal officals increases automatically.

Gas vendors find their business has become difficult, and find themselves waiting for days to refill their supply of gas to sell to their customers.

"I have been waiting for three consecutive days to get gas from gas stores but to no avail," said Mohammad al-Usabi, an owner of a handcart he uses for house-to-house gas selling. "Nowadays, I am without work because I cannot afford to buy from my distributors, as they sell a cylinder for YR 900, and that is the vendor price."

Al- Usabi said he finds it difficult to sell gas to his customers for more than YR 900 because of the price, and prefers waiting until the crises is over to resume his work.

Men, women and children are waiting in long lines at gas stores searching for gas. According to them, these stores sell propane cylinders for YR 650.

The problem is greater for owners of cafes and restaurants. Some of them have closed their shops because of a lack of gas.

"I closed my coffee shop because I cannot get gas to cook and make tea for my customers," said Gamil al-Hazmi, owner of a coffee shop in the al-Hasaba area.

The Ministry of Oil and Minerals did not give specific information about the gas crisis, and attributed the shortage to a group in the Mareb governorate which has tried to stop gas trucks from coming from Mareb to Sana'a.

"Last Wednesday, a gang of people, looking for money, tried to stop the trucks but the problem was solved two days ago," said Ministry of Oil and Minerals' Spokesperson Aref Muharram.

He went on to say that gas sellers, both owners of gas stores and gas vendors, utilized this incident to raise the prices of cooking gas. "The crisis is over, gas stores are full of gas and people have to be assured everything is OK," said Muharram.

Two weeks ago, Yemen exported the first shipment of natural liquefied gas from its five-billion-dollar strategic gas project in the Mareb governorate, via Balhaf Port, Shabwa governorate, to American and Asian markets.

Yemen is one of the fifth countries in the world which has giant gas reserves. It is considered the second in the Arab world, after Qatar, in terms of producing and exporting natural gas to the world.

Copyright Yemen Times. All rights reserved.

Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company