BANJUL, April 3 (Xinhua) -- The Gambian government announced on Friday that it decided to subsidize April fuel prices after pump prices took effect at 98 dalasis (about 1.32 U.S. dollars) per liter for petrol and 95 dalasis per liter for diesel.
According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Petroleum, Energy and Mines, recent increases in international fuel prices, driven mainly by tensions in the Middle East that have disrupted oil supply and transportation routes, pushed up indicative domestic prices for April.
If fully passed on to consumers, petrol would have risen to 101.29 dalasis per liter and diesel to 124.72 dalasis per liter, the ministry said.
It noted that the government is subsidizing petrol by 3.29 dalasis per liter and diesel by 29.72 dalasis per liter, with the total subsidy for the period amounting to 316.15 million dalasis.
The latest adjustment came after an earlier rise in pump prices that took effect on April 1. Petrol increased from 82.5 dalasis to 98 dalasis per liter, while diesel went up from 84.60 dalasis to 95 dalasis per liter, local media reported. ■