By: Haja Hawa Koroma
The Native Consortium has expressed its concerns about the reduction of petroleum prices in the country as the prices have drastically reduced across other nations all around the world.
The fuel prices have recently been reduced from le22 to le20, but the Native Consortium calls for more reductions as they are expecting the fuel prices to be reduced to le15.
According to Edmond Abu Jr., the prices of petroleum products have been reduced by 100% in most nations so there is no excuse for the PRA to reduce prices by just 9% as the problems that surrounded the increments in the first place have been tackled by the foreign stakeholders.
He added that, before the outbreak of the Ukraine and Russia war, the fuel price was at le10 and now that the situation has been tackled, the PRA have the responsibility to return things to how they were because the supply chain in petroleum transactions is the same supply chain that is being used by both Guinea and Liberia, but Sierra Leone always seems to be at the most insufferable end of that chain.
The insurance or demurrage that is being paid for the transportation of fuel has been cut off for Sierra Leone and Sierra Leone no longer pays that insurance. So because there is no longer a high shipment cost, PRA should use that as leverage to further lower the cost of petroleum products because Sierra Leone has that advantage.
Therefore, the Native Consortium is pleading with the PRA to further lower the cost of Gas prices to Le15, as they will still make profits regardless of the reductions.
Edmond further mentioned that the prices of fuel, kerosene and diesel, should not even be the same, because these other products are somewhat the waste products of the fuel after it has been refined, so being at the same price level as the fuel is also an added profit for them, and they can even recover the cost from the other products.
They also call on Dr. Samura Kamara to deviate from using incentive words against the Mende tribe as that is no way to campaign for elections. As a Politician aspiring to lead Sierra Leone, he must regard every Sierra Leonean regardless of their ethical background because that does not make them any lesser than other Sierra Leoneans.
They are also concerned about Justice Fisher’s withholding the judgments on the telecommunications matter. Native Consortium calls on the Chief Justice to look into the matter because Justice Fisher is dragging the whole Judiciary system with him.
