Cooking gas stations in Cabinda have faced a severe shortage for the past two weeks, leading to long queues and significant disruptions. Residents have been seen transporting empty cylinders across town in search of gas.
Ester Fernando, 29, from the 1º de Maio neighborhood, has struggled for two weeks to purchase gas from various stations, both locally and in other parts of the provincial capital.
She expressed frustration, noting the high cost of alternative cooking methods: “I spend a lot on charcoal daily. A pile costs 200 kwanzas, and I need three to four piles each day to cook.”
Similarly, 22-year-old Varela Mateus has been unable to refill a six-kilogram Levita cylinder for five days. “I’ve visited several stations with long lines, but the gas is simply not available,” Mateus reported.
In response, Sérgio Manuel, the regional delegate of Sonangol’s Distribution and Commercialization, assured that the situation is being addressed.
After a meeting with Cabinda’s governor, Suzana de Abreu, Manuel stated that a gas tanker from Luanda is currently unloading at the Port of Cabinda to restore normal supply. He urged residents to remain patient and assured that Sonangol has the capacity to meet the province’s gas needs.
