Sierra Leone government puts up prices of fuel as subsidy is reduced

Sierra Leone Telegraph: 18 January 2020:

Yesterday the government of Sierra Leone issued a joint statement with fuel suppliers in the country announcing an increase in the prices of petrol, kerosene, diesel and other fuel oil.

The increase ranges from Le8,500 to Le9,000 for petrol, diesel, and kerosene. But the biggest price rise is on fuel oil, which has gone up from Le7,500 to Le9,000.

Although the government is saying that the increase has nothing to do with the decision to reduce government subsidy on fuel in the country in line with the International Monetary Fund’s conditionality, analysts say that the continuing fall in government export revenue and the declining value of the Leone is severely affecting government’s finances and ability to sustain subsidies.

According to the government’s statement, “Following recent developments in the international markets for petroleum products, the Petrol Regulatory Agency, the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Trade and Industry, and the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), have jointly reviewed the pump prices of petroleum products to reflect the recent movements in the Platts and hereby announce the following pump prices with immediate effect.

“All OMCs and fuel dealers nationwide are urged to adhere to the above pump price adjustments. The government and OMCs have agreed to reform the downstream petroleum sector, in a transparent way of adjusting fuel pump prices that seeks the interest of the general public.”

These fuel price increases, though not as huge as previously thought, have had an immediate knock-on effect on transportation costs and fares across the country.

For most routes across the country, the new public transport fares increase range between Le100 and Le300 per passenger.

Though the effect on inflation in the country would be marginally small, analysts say that  any further rises could begin to impact harshly on consumers’ pockets.

 

14 Comments

  1. Joe Koroma – Show me some proofs (lol) Dream on dream on, dream on….now row,row row that superficial boat of yours, lacking in truthfulness and reasoning gently down the stream, Why? Because….verily,verily verily Life is but a dream.(lol) All those things you listed above that you saw in your dream last night …every single one of them was built by the hands of the legendary APC – All of them…I’ll bet you anything you want, at any place and any time you are ready that the APC built them all. (lmao) Pssst… You have never felt guilt, even though you never built an ordinary BAFFA for the good people of Sierra Leone.(lol) Goodness Gracious! A damn shame!..Rising Sun Will Rise Again.

  2. I applaud,and thank you sincerely Mr Koroma for your candid,heartfelt answers to those few harmless,thought provoking questions of mine,for which I am now being castigated by Mr Thomas,the Editor of the Sierra Leone Telegraph. (lol) But that’s okay,its fine. Well, Sir,you are way older than me,I am still in my late twenty’s. But I am quite sure,you would agree with me,that shouldn’t matter at all – age ain’t nothing but a number;And the best part of all is that refined,unadulterated intelligence knows no boundaries – it transcends the limits of time,intangible,and tangible fields of thoughts,concepts,and diverse spheres of knowledge.

    Now the railway you are proudly claiming as an achievement of the SLPP was something left behind as a historical gift of remembrance,and appreciation to the good people of Sierra Leone by the departing British Colonial powers.It wasn’t something built from scratch by the sweat,toil,and tears of the SLPP under the Margai brothers.Nope! My findings that came from extensive research have clearly indicated to me that the Margai SLPP government never built a single tangible thing after the British left…Nothing – not a foot-bridge,road,or national monument was built by their unthinking,unproductive minds,or by the SLPP.Sad isn’t it?

    Take a good look around,and all you will see are substantial,and useful things that came directly from the profitable minds, and hands of the legendary APC. If Old Stevens had to come to a decision,to get rid of the railway because of technical, ethical and financial constraints,who can blame him? Mr Koroma – Honesty is my middle name – now let me tell you frankly,that the main reason why the SLPP wants to build a Lungi bridge, is because,they are aware,and ashamed that they have nothing tangible to show for all their efforts in governance to future generations to come.

    Again,I am not saying the APC has been perfect all the way.Nope! We’ve made some mistakes,its fair to say,but that’s why we now have incomparable,gifted,fearless young people on our side to ensure that things turn out right in our future endeavours, and mistakes are not repeated..Rising Sun Will Rise Again.

    • I really like the NEW Saidu Conteh we are now seeing here – using his superb debating skills so effectively. Please keep it up Mr Conteh – you are a highly intelligent young man with a lot to offer Mama Salone. Please don’t change what we are seeing now. Lol. God bless.

  3. You are right Mr. Wiecha,that they should reduce Salaries, but our politicians will never think of taking such steps. Their Main aim is to enrich themselves, and not to serve or help get the poor out of the Financial difficulties they face. It has been so all these years. However we should also note that the Price of Fuel is equally high every where in the subregion, and Sierra Leone is only much affected because it does not have much to export.

    They import Fuel and all other Petroleum Products! These Products are costly and as long as the Country cannot refine oil, the Situation will continue as it is now. Had it not been that the Politicians are greedy etc., S.L. had an Oil Refinery, which was sold not long ago, and likewise a Railway System, which could have helped the poor Farmers to bring their Goods to the Market. Just to mention a few examples of how wicked our politicians can be to the Nation.

    • Bravo S.J Koroma, I can see some honesty and patriotism in your comments. Its about time we all speak up against these greedy politicians. Believe you me, these greedy guys care about none but themselves and family. So I really don’t understand why anyone should defend these crooks. Except some of you who are politically connected, defending these guys will not benefit anyone but themselves, since every defense will embolden them to do more of their stealing and greedy acts.

      We all owe it to mama Salone to make sure we protect her survival and dignity at all times. We should never allow a few crooks to hide behind political parties, tribes, or region to divide us all. We must all stand against the common enemy — greedy corrupt politicians.

  4. Adults, and children of the SLPP, please kindly do me a favor,I have some visitors spending the weekend with me,and they are not Sierra Leoneans;we have been seriously discussing Sierra Leone,and world politics,so please be kind enough to tell them,or put a finger for the purposes of clarity,on just one tangible,
    credible thing,that you can see with the naked eyes that the SLPP has ever done in our beloved country – one thing,like a concrete foot bridge,paved foot-path,or even a wide open facilitating drainage,or gutter,will be just fine. I noticed that my guests are a little doubtful of my words,emphasizing that the unproductive SLPP has never done such things for enhancing progress…so assist me in validating whether they are true,or not in the interest of transparency,and genuine patriotism – Be honest!(lol) .Rising Sun Will Rise Again.

    • Mr Conteh – I can see from your recent comments that you are still struggling to adhere to our standards and rules pertaining to mutual respect and use of language. In view of this, we will no longer publish any of your comments deemed to violate these standards and rules. The aim of the Sierra Leone Telegraph Readers’ Commentary Page is to encourage respectful debate among our readers without rancour. Furthermore, we will not allow the Sierra Leone Telegraph to become a platform for offensive and aggressive party political broadcasts. This is not a warning but our statement of intent. Thank you.

    • Yes Mr. Conteh, I am SLPP if you want to know, but I cannot vote (1-Sim). I will be 65 next year; I left S.L. in August, 1977. I can tell you what the Country had achieved uptil the date I left – They are numerous to list. Althogh the population at the time is half of what it is presently, but life was quite different and better than it is now. If you can recall (depending in your age) you will tell which Party/Parties were in power then.

      I came from a poor home but in School, I was “a diligent, able and responsible Student” and was awarded 2 Scholarships during my secondary education and ended pursuing my University Education as a private Student oversees. Hon. I.B.KARGBO was my Teacher and was the last Teacher I talked to, the day I went to collect my GCE-Results. If I would have been in his Constituency, I would have voted for him; likewise Hon. Abdul Kargbo (Lungi) and some few others, though APC.

      Up to the ending of the 70s, the Govt. used to pay all Students (national, FBC and NUC, and international) a Stipend of Le100 = £50 yearly, but stoped to do so from 1979. The Govt. had no money for that; do you know who was then in Power?

      The economy of S.L. started to crumble since the early ’80s. The reasons are known. You cannot attribute the developements that took place in S.L. to a particular Party, but you can attribute some notable ones to the SLPP. The S.L. Railway was abandoned in 1967/68 for just $8 Million, which was to facilitate its rehabilitation, instead it was closed secretly and sold by Jamil.

      Can you recall the causes of the 10-years Rebell War? After that, we had the Toll Road, etc. Now we have the SLPP again in power. Can you tell which of these parties brought developements to the country?

    • “…so please be kind enough to tell them,or put a finger for the purposes of clarity,on just one tangible,
      credible thing,that you can see with the naked eyes that the SLPP has ever done in our beloved country – …” Saidu Conteh.

      Hahaha… Why am I laughing? Is Saidu really serious? Korthor Saidu, the list is so long that there would be no space here to exhaust it. So, I am going to give you just a few names to chew on:

      1. The current building of the Parliament of Sierra Leone
      2. Njala University
      3. Milton Margai College
      4. Government Secondary School, Jimmi
      5. Government Secondary School, Koyeima
      6. Numerous Highways
      7. NASSIT
      8. NRA
      9. NacSA
      10. Bunumbu Teachers College
      11. Technical Institute, Kenema, now Eastern Polytechnic
      12. Lungi International Airport
      13. Hastings airport
      14. Numerous domestic airports in the provinces
      15. Numerous elementary schools

      Korthor, do you want me to continue? Hahaha. Di kweshon sweet…

  5. I thank you sincerely gentlemen -Young4na,Mr Matturi,and Mr Wiecha for your candid, precise, thoughtful contributions. The facts of the matter at hand,still remains lucid,and crystal clear,Incompetence,pride,and arrogance in their worst forms, working hand in glove together,are the principal contributors to the economic disaster we are now facing. This President,and his Hangman JJ Saffa,in my view are already guilty of the most reprehensible crimes committed against the poorest of the poor in Sierra Leone. Consider this – our shady criminal Finance Minister has already over spent his ministerial budget in excess of mind blowing billions of Leones.

    Yep,this unremorseful SLPP thief is craftily fleecing the system,living large,travelling the world,enjoying himself,sleeping on the softest beds,and pillows,in the best hotels money can buy,while your little,fragile ailing children,and grandchildren continue to suffer,and languish in hunger,laboring in the burning,unforgiving sun as street hawkers,and peddlers.What kind of Finance Minister creates policies that aptly resembles a hangman’s noose,that strangles, chokes,and suffocates the poor? And even Kroo town road rarray boys,or street huslers in the Bronx will tell you that they don’t borrow money,they know,they won’t be able to pay back on time…Yet these dullards keep on running into the waiting arms of merciless IMF sharks, expecting a warm,friendly,and tender embrace.(lol)

    Again,it is because of their own outright stupidities,and silly,thoughtless, attitudes,of chasing investors away,that export revenues are down,causing our fragile currency to collapse,like an ailing,worn out, old man in a broken wheel chair.(lol) First they stole tons,and tons of rice designed to feed the poor,sick,and vulnerable,now again they have recklessly increased the prices of fuel on a people already shackled in abject poverty – Out of the frying pan into the fire,it is called – incineration into ashes,by sufferings,endless struggles,hardships,and starvation.Finally,lets call this fuel increase,that was crafted by SLPP hands what it really is – another hangman’s cruel noose, created intentionally to strangle the suffering, poor masses of Sierra Leone, my only home.. Rising Sun Will Rise Again.

  6. The struggle continues for our people. It appears there is no end in sight. While the political elite continue to immerse themselves in affluence life styles, the layman continues to suffer. Fuel prices being the determinant and catalyst for all economic activities, our people must brace themselves for another increase in prices for all commodities. “D gron will get even drier” in the coming weeks and months.

    I was a bit taken aback when my contractor told me that a bag of cement that cost 55,000 leones back in December is now 75,000 leones. That is a whopping 26% increase in price within 3 weeks. The worst thing is that, my contractor informed me about this price change few days ago before the announcement of this fuel price increase, meaning, the price of cement is expected to now go higher than the 75,000 leones. Exactly how are we going to continue developing this nation when efforts being by private citizens are shorthanded by by politicians? It’s really demoralizing to say the least.

    The people of Sierra Leone did not elect the current government for an increase in hardest at all levels of their lives. At the very least, things should have remain the same rather than making it worst. Frankly, it is now abundantly clear that these PAOPA team is inept and clueless.

    Seriously, what in the world are these people doing? Ever since they assume power, untold suffering continues to mount in the nation while stifling democratic participation at the same time. It’s almost 2 years, nothing is improving. Absolutely nothing. Everything continues to go in the negative direction. When exactly will these people realize that whatever they are doing is not working? Come on PAOPA team, wake up. The people’s patience is running out. Please get some serious outside help to turn things around.

  7. Another DEBT in preparation again. This is what happens when you sit in a boat with the IMF to go on an austerity mission in the high seas. This government’s survival now is to accept any austerity conditions for DEBT that they will never pay. Our people will continue to swallow this bitter austerity pill for DEBT till 2023 unfortunately.
    Just wait and see. The IMF will soon announce a DEBT package for Salone very soon. No one will convince me that this problem has nothing to do with austerity. No way. God bless Salone and the poor. To be continued.

    • And based on your track record for celebrating all things APC on this platform – Mr. Matturi, I suppose you think that the APC can do better? Just a friendly reminder before you answer this Mr. Matturi. Remember that it was Samura – Mr. tolongbo – your party front man in the 2018 election – who stood in front of a large crowd, which I believe was in the country and arrogantly stated that he will teach the people of Sierra Leone how to loan.

  8. So, the ordinary Sierra Leonean people had to suffer again. One background of the rising up of petrol products is this wonderful and peaceful us politic of Mr. Trump and co..
    Maybe now it’s time to reduce the salaries of the government including the travel costs.

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