By Amin Kef Sesay
There is negative social media post making the round which purports that the National Petroleum Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL Ltd) is politically remote controlled by the leadership of the opposition All People Congress (APC) Party, making particular reference to former President Ernest Bai Koroma, to intermittently create artificial scarcity of fuel in a bid to make the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) become very unpopular and lose political support. It further insinuated that the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Kobi Walker, whom the writer of the post erroneously referred to as the General Manager “is one of the operatives the opposition APC is hiding behind to undermine the efforts of H. E. President Julius Maada Bio and the New Direction Government”.
It must be made abundantly clear right at this point that this is the most weird, nonsensical, illogical and nauseating post which was concocted by a politically baptized SLPP faithful, with a motive to bring the hard earned and respectable name of a thriving business entity to disrepute and wickedly attempt to tarnish the good reputation of its indefatigable Chief Executive Officer, Kobi Walker, for which legal action could be instituted in order to seek redress.
The negative thoughts of the poster sharply brings to the fore the negative tendency of some short sighted Sierra Leoneans, especially those who regard themselves as educated elites, to politicizing everything in the country. In other words, to assess everything with a political lens. Failing to realize that fuel shortage has not only occurred when the present SLPP Government headed by President Julius Maada Bio took over the reins of State Governance, the ignorant writer of the misleading post wants to paint the picture that erstwhile President Ernest Bai Koroma is the chief architect of the plot or ploy of making the current Government unpopular.
This is totally baseless and 100% inaccurate as it had been proven beyond all reasonable doubts that NP-SL Ltd was formed by 35 former workers of the British Petroleum Company who decided to use their end of service benefits to buy shares which culminated in the establishment of the company. Former President Koroma does not, repeat does not, even has a single penny in that company and therefore has no power or bearing to dictate to it or influence managerial decisions. Let the fool clearly understands that.
It must be registered at this particular juncture that NP-SL Ltd is very apolitical only focusing on the business of importing and marketing petroleum products in the country. It is not the only oil marketing company operating in the country as we have Total SL Ltd, Leonco SL Ltd doing the same kind of business. The shareholders of the company are not politicians and even if some do support certain political parties which is their inalienable fundamental human rights but they are very mindful of not mixing business with politics. For them it is strictly business and business for real.
Many will agree with the confirmed notion that NP-SL Ltd has been exceptionally doing well with regards the timely importation and marketing of high grade petroleum products. The company has been doing so to the utmost satisfaction of its numerous esteemed and cherished customers. As for NP-SL, customer care is treated with maximum seriousness which is why the company has proudly bagged the enviable name: 1st For Customer Care.
According to the Chief Executive Officer of NP-SL Ltd, Kobi Walker, the company recently imported 19,500 metric ton of fuel which it offloaded in the evening hours of the 19th March 2020 at their terminal. Immediately after offloading, the indigenously owned fuel company went into top gear supplying bowsers with fuel for onward transportation and supply to their various stations across the country. This move has further earned the company the respect of the nation.
Kobi Walker noted that in line with their aim and vision to ensure that the petroleum needs of individuals and institutions are timely met in a very transparent manner, the company wasted no time to see that petroleum supply is brought into the country to deal with the current situation. He said that whilst it is their duty to provide service to the nation, they see no sense in keeping their products when the people need fuel. He maintained that fuel shortage can only happen when the supply comes in late, as the company is always proactive and plans ahead for more supply, especially as they know that they are the most patronized in the country. He assured Sierra Leoneans that whilst the Republic of Liberia is suffering from fuel shortage, they will ensure that fuel is available for all in the country. It was intimated that another consignment is on the high-seas for Sierra Leone, courtesy of NP-SL.
Speaking further with vehicle owners at several Filling Stations, they disclosed that during the recent slight fuel shortage, NP-SL was the only fuel company that supplied or sold fuel as these vehicle owners were able to buy fuel from them. According to them, other fuel stations told them that they do not have fuel and often the pump attendants do not even spoke to them. Though NP-SL rationed their sale to customers, they made sure that almost everyone benefitted from the sale.
Being a very successful petroleum entity, NP had and still continues to contribute tremendously towards overall national development. The company has branches in Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast and The Gambia.
This 100% indigenously-owned company has so far offered various jobs to residents in the afore-mentioned countries, thereby reducing poverty to a considerable level.
It is further recorded that it is one of the largest taxpayers to the National Revenue Authority (NRA), financially empowering the Government to roll out various development projects.
The regulatory institution of the different petroleum companies in the country, Petroleum Regulatory Agency, has lauded NP many times for its efficient service delivery wherever it is operating.
The company also offers for sale an efficient cooker which is known as NP Gas. It has been proven to be highly efficient and good in terms of performance. Manufactured in different cylinder sizes these gas cookers are sold at the company’s filling stations and its authorized dealers. They are said to be going like hot cakes.
With NP Smart Card customers are now able to purchase petroleum products and it has been assessed to be very advantageous as it avails the holders to easily procure petroleum products without moving with physical cash. It also enhances personal security and helps to promote transparency especially when sending another person to purchase these petroleum products.
This naïve and myopic way of politicizing everything under the sun must be shelved off and replaced with objectivity. It is shameful. Fuel shortage could be caused by various factors some far beyond the control of oil marketing companies. Availability and accessibility to foreign exchange, in this case the US dollar at appreciable rate, which is used to purchase petroleum products, are key. Is that the case in this country? Crisis in oil producing countries could affect supply of petroleum products. So also could shipment be affected by unforeseen circumstances.
Let the politically intoxicated poster of the infamous post tenaciously stick to his SLPP, and leave NP-SL Ltd alone to continue with its business as usual. Politics is not their portion. Undeniably, the company is growing by leaps and bounds. Shame to the hater(s) and up, up NP-SL. The cloud is your limit!
