By Amin Kef Sesay
The indomitable National Petroleum –Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL Ltd) still continues to maintain its unshakeable position within the petroleum marketing landscape of this country. The company is making steady progress with regards giving its numerous customers around the country the best in terms of petroleum products which include petrol, diesel, gas and lubricants among which there is the popular Castrol oil which many have attested is very good in keeping engines in proper working order.
Besides putting timely arrangements in place for the importation of petroleum products, the company has bagged wide ranging accolades for its reliable service delivery which is coated in its customer care portfolio. The company is renowned for 1st for Customer Care as it is on record for giving optimal satisfaction to its esteemed customers.
In that regard, the Shareholders and Management thought it fit to be very transparent in the company’s transactions of petroleum products, which was why they decided to import sophisticated and state of the art calibrated pumping machines highly capable of pumping the exact quantity of fuel demanded and at the same time display the price. What this means is that whenever customers purchase petrol or diesel they derive value for money and feel very satisfied.
That period was a turning point or a marked departure from the past when certain oil marketing companies were using, and even at this stage still using old pumping machines generating a lot of grumblings from purchasers that they are being cheated.
When it comes to adhering to the country’s Local Content Policy, the company has since its inception tenaciously implemented it to the letter. This could probably be dictated by the fact that NP-Sierra Leone Limited was established by thirty-five (35) Sierra Leoneans who were former workers of the British Petroleum (BP) Company.
BP sold its shares to then Government of Sierra Leone but the latter was advised to sell its shares and that was how these 35 Sierra Leoneans came to purchase shares that culminated into the establishment of NP-SL Ltd. In essence the company is truly an indigenous business entity. From that time onwards, the Shareholders made it a laid down policy to exclusively employ Sierra Leoneans except on rare occasions when expatriates are needed to perform highly specialized tasks.
The good thing about this policy is that it has helped greatly towards offering jobs to those who were hitherto unemployed and by extension contributed in poverty reduction. In addition, the policy avails the beneficiaries the opportunity to imbibe very significant skills which has so far transformed them to become professionals in their areas of operations.
To simplify the mode of purchasing petroleum products, Management thought it prudent to use the latest technology which will make it very convenient when doing so. NP Smart Card was introduced which has a memory chip that is capable to register what is imputed and also displaying what is debited. In other words, it is a device which can be loaded with a certain amount of money and when used to purchase fuel the exact amount used is deducted and what remains is displayed.
NP Smart Card gives the owner the advantage to budget for fuel consumption over a period of time. What this means is that if an individual decides to budget for fuel for a period of one month then he or she has the choice to load his or her NP Smart Card with the amount of money that will last him or her for that period. It further means it will prevent an individual from encountering deficit due to unforeseen contingencies. Moreover, a particular individual could be saved the hassle of having to be popping into the Bank to make withdrawals mainly for the purpose of buying fuel. NP Card is indeed trending.
NP Gas is also gaining wide momentum in sales as a result of its quick and good performance for cooking purpose. Besides, environmentalists have recommended it for its less hazardous disadvantage to one’s health compared to the use of wood and charcoal which have been confirmed are also depleting the ecosystem. Manufactured in different cylinder sizes, NP Gas could be easily secured at the company’s Filling Stations or from its authorized dealers and they are going at affordable prices. According to what those who are using it have attested there are no regrets when one uses it and the gas to refill it can be secured from NP stations.
The company has been very steadfast in rolling out its corporate social responsibility and has championed so many worthy causes as its recent donation of the huge sum of One Billion Leones to the Government through the Emergency Operations Centre in the fight against the ongoing corona virus. Indeed, the donation was highly appreciated as it will contribute greatly towards the ongoing battle.
In short, it can be said with all amount of certainty that NP-SL Ltd is not only assuaging the petroleum needs of the populace but also contributing significantly towards the socio-economic development of this nation.
