By Hassan Osman Kamara

Random interviews conducted by Forum Newspaper SL within the capital and its environs expressed their astonishments over the sudden increase on the pump price of fuel and its effect on the already existing economic hardship the country is currently facing.

Is also a stand indisputable to state that there is a widespread public outcry over the increase scale of severe economic hardship in the country that is largely attributed to the steady increase in the price of basic commodities.

Since last week, the unprecedented increase in price of onions has been the talk of the town. Currently, a single onion is sold at 20 New Leones.  Despite the un-breaking record on the price of onions, scarcity also engulfs the said commodity across the country.

Reports have it that many low income-earning families can’t afford to purchase onions hence, resort to cooking without applying onions because the said commodity reaches an alarming rate.

Talk less of the record-breaking increase on the price of onions, the sudden increase in the pump price of fuel can be interpreted as a double bang on the ordinary citizens.

In a press release dated 1^st August 2023, the Petroleum Regulatory Agency (PRA) and the Oil Marketing Companies informed the public that the new prices of petroleum products stand at NLe25 with effect on the above-mentioned date.

The government agency in their press release argued that government has subsidized billions of Old Leones over the last six months to stabilize the pump price of petroleum products, but however nothing to show for it, rather, pump price keeps on skyrocketing in the country on daily basis.

In Sierra Leone, fuel and diesel are invariably the most important of all petroleum products that are widely used across Sierra Leone for the purposes of electricity generation and transportation.

This speaks volumes to the fact that the scarcity of onions and subsequent increase in the price of fuel has the potential to stimulate increase in the costs of virtually everything under the sun, a situation that economists and social commentators have intimated worsen the already existing hardship in Sierra Leone.

The issue of black marketing on the price of petroleum products has over the years has its own positive and negative implication that the petroleum regulatory agency should not be treated with a pinch of salt, going forward.

It’s no longer a secret that the increment in petroleum products will disturb low income earning citizens especially those that use commercial transportation daily.

Public fear grip city residents for commercial motorists not to use the existing situation to unreasonably demand high transportation cost at the expense of the ordinary citizens.

The long-standing issue of plying half ways in the municipality and its environs by commercial drivers has long before now reached its alarming state.

With the current situation on the ground, commercial drivers may intend exploring the situation for their selfish gains as passengers will be forced to pay double transportation fares from Wellington to East End Police, a situation that will be viewed my many as seriously disgusting for the ordinary man.

Following the increase of the pump price of petroleum products, the Ministry of Transport and Aviation wasted no time to issue out a press release, notifying citizens about the new transportation prices from Lumley to Bus Station and Wellington now NLe4,16.

Additionally, from Hamilton to Lumley now NLe4.16, Model to Fourah Bay College Junction now also at NLe4.16, Regent to Bus Station now NLe7.48, Grafton to East End Police is NLe8.31, Lumley to Borbor NLe6.65, Charlotte Street to Wilberforce NLe4.55, and Jui to Lumley stands at NLe14.96.