By Amin Kef-Ranger
Investigations mounted by this press revealed that the Management of NP Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL Ltd) has enough fuel to serve consumers and that more fuel is on its way to the country. An official source informed this press that the company wishes to inform the general public that those fuel dealers creating artificial scarcity are doing so on their own volition for selfish reasons and that there should be no cause for hoarding of fuel as the price remains at the stipulated Le22,000 or Le22.
It was also learnt that the NP Management is dismayed about alleged hoarding of petroleum product over the last two days at filling stations countrywide, thereby creating artificial scarcity.
According to an insider, NP-SL Ltd., has considerable amount of petroleum products, especially petrol and diesel. However, our investigation also revealed that the alleged action by certain defaulting Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) is as a result of their suspicion that there will be an increase in the fuel pump price by next week.
It was additionally learnt that because of this alleged hoarding and refusal to sell to consumers by certain corrupt petroleum dealers, this has resulted in the shutting down of retail outlets to consumers thereby causing artificial scarcity across the country.
Against this backdrop, this press was informed that NP-SL Ltd. is calling on filling stations to comply with the accepted price and show patriotism by selling petroleum products to the general public in order to cushion an already bad situation.
Meanwhile, the NP-SL Management is assuring that there is enough fuel and at the same time admonishing members of the public to desist from panic buying as there is no scarcity of the product. The management further called on all NP Station Managers to open their Filling Stations and continue to sell to members of the public at the official stipulated price of Le22,000 (twenty two thousand Leones or Le22 (new currency) until further notice.
In addition, any petroleum dealer or concerned citizen having any questions or concerns about petroleum products are encouraged to bring these concerns or questions to the management of NP-SL Ltd. as its doors are always open and its personnel always ready to provide the correct answers. This is according to the NP-SL Ltd. management.
