LUSAKA, May 18 (Xinhua) -- The Zambian government on Thursday denied media reports that it plans to increase fuel prices.
Reports in some local media indicated the government plans to increase fuel prices by 48 percent.
But Ministry of Energy Permanent Secretary Emeldah Shonga said the reports were alarming and misleading.
She said in a statement that the reports should be ignored as the government has no such intentions since international oil prices have remained stable while the local currency has equally made a slight appreciation against major convertible currencies.
Fuel prices in Zambia are determined by the country's energy regulator, the Energy Regulation Board, on the basis of international oil prices and the exchange rate of the local currency, she added.
