By: Ilyasa Baa
As some unpatriotic citizens continue to create artificial scarcity over petrol and diesel, member of the Strategic Communication Unit attached to the Ministry of Information and Communications, has assured that more fuel is on the way to the country.
Imran Sillah said there is fuel in store sufficiently to last till the first week in July. He informed this medium that the authority has been proactive despite the global uncertainty regarding fuel and other commodities. “The Petroleum Regulatory Agency’s boss Balua Koroma has been checking on fuel stations to ensure that they sell to the general public,” said the Communication Strategist.
He added that the Agency together with its partners is working on the fundamental problems in the oil sector. He said the Bank of Sierra Leone has to involve to make upfront payment before the country gets its quota of fuel supply.
Government, he said has lost over five hundred billion Leones in taxes since 2020 to subsidize fuel so the public does not suffer much.
It could be recalled that the Communication Officer of the Petroleum Regulatory Agency (PRA), Lansana Fofanah had warned those hoarding fuel that tough action will be a taken against any dealer caught hoarding the fuel.
He said the Agency had 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 had said they wanted to ensure that people were not deprived of having fuel in the country adding that government was 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 25,000 per litre).
The Office of National Security (ONS) had to intervene to quell the situation.
However, the dealers are still rationing the fuel depriving members of the public from getting the quantity they want to buy. Some commercial drivers and riders are trying to buy reserve fuel in case the situation does not improve.
