By Amin Kef Sesay
“Instead of depending on the importation of certain consumable items and foreign expatriates, it is very significant and cost effective to make use of what we have at hand to produce goods and services,” Andrew Soluku, a renowned international Economist averred, adding that for NP-SL Ltd to make it a laid down policy and put into practice employment offers exclusively for Sierra Leoneans is a very laudable and no mean feat.
It should be noted that the National Petroleum –Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL Ltd) has been regarded as a well-positioned institution with the realm of being a very pro-active institution that is always poised to pragmatically put concrete arrangements in place to ensure that the populace in this country gain access to qualitative petroleum products ranging from petrol, diesel, gas to lubricants, including the ever highly demanded Castrol lubricant oil that has been rated to be very good for the efficient lubrication of various engines.
NP-SL is indeed poised to give its numerous customers its qualitative products and the company has in its employ, a workforce as well as distributors that market its various petroleum products. As far as it has been established, this laid down policy that the company is implementing to the letter, is complementing the efforts of the Government to strengthen development.
Today, it is now non-existent for individuals to complain that when they are in the process of procuring petroleum products, pump attendants cheat them in terms of not getting their money’s worth. The simple reason is because the Shareholders and Management of the company were indeed very business savvy to procure modern calibrated pumping machines which were installed at their various selling points and are very capable of churning out the exact quantity of what is demanded and the price to be paid. In this regard the company has bagged the covetous commendation of, “1st For Customer Care”.
During a random countrywide survey conducted over a period of time targeting a large percentage of customers of the National Petroleum-Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL Ltd), with the objective of sounding their views on the operations of the NP-SL Ltd, the methodology utilized bordered on asking random questions in order to get their candid views.
When quizzed on how they view the way and manner the company treats its numerous customers across the country, most of the respondents reacted by stating that the Shareholders and Management of the company are doing extremely well in the area of effective service delivery and giving utmost satisfaction to customers.
Abdul Aziz Koroma, a renowned Social Commentator, maintained that when it comes to customer care, NP-SL Ltd is second to none within the business landscape of this country.
“From what I have so far learnt, in order to conduct sales in a very transparent manner and to give customers their money’s worth, the Shareholders of the company decided to procure and install modern calibrated pumping machines at their various Filling Stations that are capable to pump the exact quantity of fuel, at the same time display the price and quantity,” he pointed out, adding that to even think that the pump attendants are cheating customers could only be a mere figment of one’s imagination, as anything like that is farfetched.
A Development Specialist of long standing intimated that for the country’s economy to grow sustainably, it is but important to deepen local content further, arguing that it is only when we make meaningful use of both our human and natural resources that development could transpire.
The economist quoted in the opening of this article further underscored that by offering jobs to Sierra Leoneans is a way of empowering the citizenry to take care of daily responsibilities and live improved standards of life.
“I really doff my hat to the Shareholders of the company for actualizing such a high sense of patriotism,” he expressed admiration.
A vast majority of those interviewed revealed that they are using NP Gas for cooking purpose, maintaining that it is very efficient and environmentally friendly. The NP Gas that they referred to is a cooking device which is manufactured in different cylinder sizes and sold at affordable prices at the company’s Filling Stations. “I discovered that this device is very fast in terms of performance and is now going like hot cakes, as many are now going for it, especially when the gas that is used to refill it could be easily secured at various Filling Stations ,” Memunatu Forna, a business woman selling cooking utensils on Sani Abacha Street informed.
With regards the use of NP Smart Card, it is one that is now in vogue. Some personalities who are using it said they find it very useful and a convenient way of purchasing petroleum products. They added that they always ensure their NP Smart Cards are credited to be used to purchase fuel, be it petrol or diesel. “Sometimes I don’t have to go through the hassle of going to the Bank on a busy Friday afternoon to withdraw cash just for the purpose of purchasing fuel that will last throughout the weekend. I do procure petrol by using my Smart Card and it is working perfectly well,” Musa Kalokoh, an Engineer told one of our reporters.
Momodu Fofana stated that the company is really growing beyond expectation. “For NP-SL Ltd. to successfully establish branches in neighboring Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast and The Gambia is indeed no mean feat, especially when cognizance is taken of the fact that these branches are operating vibrantly,” he pointed out.
From what was so far gathered throughout the conducted random survey, it can be safely concluded that NP-SL Ltd is indeed a living testimony of a successful and thriving business entity that is contributing significantly to the socio-economic development of the nation and worthy of emulation.
It is therefore not unreasonable to suggest that NP-SL Ltd. is an icon of indigenous business worthy of emulation.
