Lansana Fofanah
The mouthpiece for the Petroleum Regulatory Agency (PRA), has warned those hoarding fuel that tough action will be a taken against any dealer caught hoarding the fuel.
Lansana Fofanah said the Agency has been out on the streets on routine checking on fuel stations to ensure that they sell to the public.
“There is a penalty for depriving the public by not selling to them when the stock is available”, Fofanah said.
He said they want to ensure that people are not deprived of having fuel in the country adding that government is doing everything possible to ensure that the country does not run out of fuel.
He admonished fuel dealers to sell what they have rather than creating artificial scarcity.
He assured the public that diesel is largely available except for petrol which he said is a little bit scarce.
In Kambia, commercial bike riders stormed a fuel station on the grounds that they refused selling to those who wanted one or two litres but sold the fuel to those with five gallons. Commercial bike riders had to rely on black market pricing (LE 250,000 per litre).
The Office of National Security (ONS) had to intervene to quell the situation.
However, the artificial scarcity hugely affected pupils taking their final paper in the WASSCE as well as those who cannot afford to pay exorbitant transportation fares.
It is expected that the Minister of Finance will lie before the House of Parliament a supplementary budget which is believed will help tackle the fuel issue faced in the country.
