With hike in the prices of pump of petroleum products have rose from Twenty-One Thousand Five Hundred Leones, to Thirty Thousand Leones (Le30, 000.00, Sierra Leoneans have described the astronomical increase of fuel by government and its private sector players as a ‘deliberate inflictions of more sufferings on them, a popular business tycoon Wednesday 30 August 2023 told FORUMNEWS-SL at Central Freetown.

A situation that has been received with hue and cry across the country, considering how high cost of fuel cause ripple effects on the socioeconomic livelihoods of the masses, amid eminent global sanctions and widely publicised ‘Visa Restriction Policy on Undermining the Democratic Process in Sierra Leone – United States Department of State.

Government through the Petroleum Regulatory Agency and the Ministry of Finance in collaboration with Oil Marketing Companies on Tuesday 29 August 2023 announced new pump prices of all petroleum products.

In a joint press release signed by key private sector players including the Minister of Finance, National Petroleum – NP SL, Leone Oil SL Limited, the Petroleum Regulatory Agency, Conex SL Ltd. Malador Associates SL Limited and the line Ministry of Trade and Industry, they collectively claimed that; “the international oil prices rose each consecutive week in July and august, hovering near three month highs this week at a shade of over 26% for Diesel. The joint signed announcement informed that the increase for petrol and diesel is around $136, 75 and $185.14 higher than July averages.

Out and about in the streets to sound views about the hike in the price of petroleum products, was received with mixed feelings, especially from Freetown and other major municipality commuters, who appear much embittered with the new ‘anti-pro-people’ economic development.

At Waterloo, Kadie Moseray, a trader in raw fish who always travels to and fro Tombo, in the Western Rural District said; “we never expect this kind of human sufferings being imposed on us by the Bio led government through hike in the prices of fuel and other goods and service. We expected much from him and his government. We have seen governments came and gone, and even after the civil war, things were not as difficult as they are now. We can no longer cope with such troubles in the name of patriotism, revenue mobilization through regular tax collections out of which we see nothing. The cost of food and other essential commodities are skyrocketing by the tick of the clock, with the reopening of schools around the corner. This is not what we voted this government into office for. We deserve better having taken cue from what he inherited from his predecessors.

Speaking to Manfred Turay of G. Shankadas and Sons, not his real name, disclosed that the wage bill they receive as monthly take homes from the Indian company are so abysmal to the point that is cannot even sort their domestic problems. Turay said government should have considered addressing hikes in the prices of pump to ameliorate the suffering of the ordinary.

Several others this reporter spoke in East and West of Freetown on the trending issue, shared similar sentiments, calling on government to consider cutting down on the price of petroleum products as it high cost affect every aspect of the livelihoods of everybody.