By Nasratu Kargbo
Sitting in public transport, there was complete silence as the bus approached a gas station that was very chaotic with cars, tricycles, bike riders and able-bodied men with gallons of different sizes in their hands struggling to access fuel. The sight left the other twenty passengers, driver and apprentice raising questions over the possibility of another increase in the price of fuel.
In conversation with the driver who introduced himself as Abdul Alpha, he narrated how he had to bribe pump attendants at a gas station with an extra thirty thousand Leones in order for them to attend to him.
Alpha explained that the normal price for a five-gallon jerry can full of fuel is three hundred and sixty thousand is eighteen thousand per litre but claimed he witnessed a situation where a man that was desperately in need of fuel agreed to pay four hundred thousand Leones just to secure the fuel.
He said he sensed fuel attendants’ refusal to sell gas since the evening of Monday 20th of June 2022 and that the situation at gas stations became more chaotic by the day.
Standing amongst sweaty-looking taxi Bike Riders on one side of a gas station at Jui outside Freetown where they were to be sold petrol, one of them Issa Kanu told Politico that they have been waiting for the attendants to sell fuel but have refused. He stated that there’s speculation that the price will soon increase to twenty-two thousand Leones.
Another bike rider standing nearby named Osman Daboh explained how earlier the gas station workers were rationing the selling of fuel to only two litres per bike and tricycle, and five litres per vehicle.
He stated that the government should intervene by subsidising fuel products, highlighting the numerous problems they encounter with passengers, over fares charged in times of increase in pump price, with them and the passengers having to negotiate over fares. Daboh said they most times just have to put up with what the passengers can offer. “We have to feed our homes”, he said.
A citizen named Mohamed Koroma who Politico met walking along with Tower Hill in Freetown, described the current situation as a notice of an impending increase in the official pump price of fuel. Koroma expressed frustration that it has been only two weeks since the last increment was made and suddenly “it looks like there is going to be another increase”.
The father of three explained that the increase in fuel price affects every other sector, noting that all commodities have become expensive. Koroma with an unhappy look on his face concluded that the increment will increase the burden in his home, explaining that transportation for his school-going children, including lunch amongst other things will be a big problem for him.
In an interview with Politico the Communications Officer at the Petroleum Regulatory Agency (PRA), Lansana Fofanah said they did not expect such a situation, explaining that their data indicates that the country has fuel that should last up to July.
When asked what sparked up the situation, Fofanah explained that amongst the dealers, there was speculation of price increment which filtered down to the fuel stations, hoping that PRA will make adjustments.
He explained that PRA did a monthly review which led to the recent increase from fifteen to eighteen thousand Leones per litre. He stated that even though the price has increased in the world market, PRA together with the Ministry of Finance and Oil Marketing Companies were in a meeting where they discussed the way forward. He stated that the Oil Marketing Companies highlighted their challenges including accessing foreign exchange which he said the government has addressed.
Fofanah said the PRA team has been monitoring gas stations to ensure that those with fuel attend to the public. He stated that stations are selling fuel and assured the public that the tension and queues will soon ease. Fofanah said there is fuel at the terminal and added that the National Petroleum Company (NP) as of yesterday evening was loaded for supply to the market.
Asked if Sierra Leoneans are to expect an increase in the price of fuel, Fofanah said: “No, not soon. Government is trying to ensure that the burden is not too hard on the people”.
The price of fuel in Sierra Leone has increased three times within two months, from the initial cost of ten thousand to eighteen thousand Leones. This soaring of the price of petroleum products has seen a rapid increase in transportation costs and prices of other commodities in the country.
Copyright © 2022 Politico Online (24/06/22)
