By Politico staff writer
The Petroleum Regulatory Agency on Thursday 11th August 2022 announced a reduction in the pump price of petroleum products across Sierra Leone from NLE 19 to NLE 18.
However, commercial drivers have complained that fuel dealers have refused to sell since the announcement.
“They have fuel, they are just being wicked because the government has announced a reduction in the pump price to Le 18. The government needs to monitor these people,” said Mohamed Barrie, a rickshaw driver.
Amadu Kamara, a commercial motorbike rider also noted that they have again resorted to buying fuel from the black market which cost them more than the normal price. “As they announced the new price, most of the filling stations said they don’t have fuel, because they don’t want to sell at the new price,” he said.
The country experienced a sharp increase in the pump price of petroleum products from NLE10 to NLE15 and later to NLE18 occasioned by the Ukraine- Russia Conflict in March. This sparked protests from citizens across the country including commercial drivers.
The pump price of would later rise to NLE22 in June this year.
However, the government has always attributed the situation to the current global economic situation, noting that the price in Sierra Leone will go down when that of the world market start going down.
A joint press release by the Petroleum Regulatory Agency (PPA), Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Trade and Industry, and oil marketing companies, on Thursday 9th of June, 2022, stated that the new price was said to be a result of international factors that include the redefined product at a predetermined price set at the global market. Those factors are said to include the cost of importation, cost of shipping, and premium.
Due to the said international factors, the Sierra Leone pump price is adjusted monthly and the transportation fares also adjusted to meet the current pump price.
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