Muscat: The Omani government on Tuesday said that aviation fuel prices would remained unchanged, because unlike petrol, aviation fuel was not subsidised by the government. The cooking gas price also remained unchanged.
The statement came after Oman’s Oil and Gas Ministry has announced they were removing petrol subsidies in the country. The new petrol and diesel prices were announced on Monday, which will take effect from January 15.
The Omani government increased super grade petrol prices 33 per cent to 160 baiza per litre, up from the current price of 120 baiza, according to the Ministry of Oil and Gas official Twitter account. The regular grade petrol will rise 23 per cent to 140 baiza per litre, up from 114 baiza per litre. Diesel will rise 9.6 per cent to 160 baiza per litre; the current price is 146 baiza per litre.
Salim Al Aufi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Oil and Gas, said that the sale price will be standard at all petrol stations in all governorates of Oman, noting that a committee will hold a meeting at the end of each month to fix the prices months. The committee may maintain the same prices if the global prices are close to the price at the local market.
Al Aufi said the new diesel prices won’t exceed 10 per cent to reduce inflationary pressures.
Al Aufi said that the Public Authority for Consumer Protection and the fuel marketing stations will follow up the fuel prices at all petrol stations in Oman to ensure that they comply with the announced prices.
Moreover, Omanis have launched a hashtag entitled “the adjusting of fuel prices”, demanding the Omani government exempt low-income families.
Subsidies on petroleum products, including petrol and diesel, are estimated to have cost Oman an estimated 900 million riyals (Dh8.56 billion) in 2015, compared to 840 million riyals in 2014.
Transport
Ahmad Al Balushi, CEO of Muwasalat, Oman National Transport Company, which provides bus services in the country, said the company has no plans to raise the prices of their services. He said in a statement to Oman News Agency (ONA) that the prices of the company’s services will continue in the same pricing this year after raising fuel prices.
He added: “We will operate the same lines for the internal trips inside the Governorate of Muscat and the prices of the long trip to other governorates of the Sultanate will remain unchanged.”
