By Amin Kef Sesay
The National Petroleum Sierra Leone Limited, NP (SL-Ltd) is working round the clock to give its numerous customers the best of products as well as taking stock of them in what has been dubbed “Know Your Customer Better” while it continues engaging oil producing companies to ensure adequate supply of petroleum products is readily available in the country. The pro-active stance of the company has made stocks available and lasting over periods of time thereby averting shortages.
Unlike a Government entity or being owned by a politician with shares, the company’s shareholders are ordinary Sierra Leoneans who started with 35 men and women of repute that bought it from the Government of Sierra Leone out of their end of service benefits to establish what today is known as NP-SL.
Contrary to propaganda accusations in the past that the company was owned by politicians with vested interests, investigations have proven otherwise that NP-SL is 100% indigenously-owned company.
Of importance is the fact that the company has weathered various storms that could have dwarfed it or left it liquidated if it were not for the therapeutic suave of intermittent managements that injected sanity which has kept it upright and on the right course.
As a true Sierra Leonean company that has maintained strict adherence to the Local Content Policy in ensuring maximum of its staff are indigenes. What it actually means is that it is reducing poverty levels of our own brothers and sisters through access to employment opportunities.
Today, many members of the company are benefiting from various trainings with requisite skills useful to carry out certain tasks in delivering value. NP-SL stands aloft amongst a number of companies upholding the Local Content Policy. This has created no doubt that NP-SL is seen at the top.
Its intrinsic national posture runs through and it is a sine qua-non to overall national development. With such compliance rate, it behooves other stakeholders to follow NP’s good example to impact on the employment rate in the country.
Know Your Customer (KYC) policy of NP stands No. 1 because of confirmation by many customers who have made it clear that the way and manner they are being offered services by NP ranks with no other in the country.
For a very long time now NP-SL is No. 1 on the KYC and this has earned them accolades because of its drive to optimize customer satisfaction. Its modern calibrated pumping machines installed at various stations have brought a new technological revolution in the energy sector. Many users say there is no more cheating or complaints of half pumping bottles.
Consequently, a new sense of confidence is building up and customers are of the view that this is making the company more transparent. Payments are also delivered promptly to customers including Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government for fuel and lubricant supplies. This new method has helped to ease institutional shortfalls in fuel supply because of intermittent budgetary allocations.
Some of its best products like NP Gas used by many homes have proven an environmentally friendlier service than others. It is designed in various sizes and sold at NP Filling Stations across the country. The NP Smart Card too is good. It has helped reduce queues. Customers talk highly about it.
On taxation, NP has proven that if the National Revenue Authority (NRA) is to reach its target then it needs a partner like NP. The company remains undoubtedly one of the biggest tax compliance institutions in the country.
