By Amin Kef Sesay
The National Petroleum Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL Ltd) is on record for enhancing the country’s Local Content Policy, taking it to the highest level. Since the formation of the company years back, by some Sierra Leoneans, it was made a laid down policy that in terms of employment, indigenes should be given preference as opposed to employing foreigners. From that time up to this moment the company has not renege in rolling that out and it is one achievement which has earned NP-SL the widespread respect that it is basking in.
This policy runs through as a thread in all the countries within the sub-region where the company has vibrant functioning branches, namely Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast and The Gambia. In all these countries, emphasis is placed on employing indigenes.
The biggest advantage of rolling out such a development-oriented policy is that it complements the efforts of the Government with regards providing employment for the citizenry.
Besides, by offering jobs to competent and qualified Sierra Leoneans such creates an opportunity for the beneficiaries to move up the social ladder, drastically reducing poverty to a large extent.
Steadfastness in optimal service delivery has made the National Petroleum Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL-Ltd) one of the most outstanding and vibrant companies that is steadily operating, in thick and thin, in this country. Such largely emanates from the dogged determination on the part of 35 former employees of the then British Petroleum company, which decided to fold up its operations and sold shares, which these workers bought out of their end of service benefits and used as seed capital to commence the running of the now renowned NP-SL –Ltd.
Setting up the company was just one accomplished feat, but taking it from that level to where it is today, speaks volumes of the selflessness on the part of the shareholders, who were all Sierra Leoneans, to see the company grow and succeed, up to an appreciable stage that they were yearning for. It is this selflessness on the part of the shareholders which eclipsed personal aggrandizement, misappropriation of funds and insincerity to such an extent that the resultant effect culminated into an overall success story.
At this material point in time the company has bagged a whole lot of recognition for its outstanding performances in the line of marketing qualitative petroleum products. It stands to be contested that NP-SL Ltd is the number one oil marketing company in this country, which is equal to none, as it continues to break new frontiers in its expansionist drive.
When the name NP is called, what immediately comes to mind is First for Customer Care and this is not a mere masquerading in borrowed robes, but rather a true accomplishment of what the company fervently believes in and is striving towards actualizing. To the shareholders and Management of the company, providing utmost satisfaction in through service delivery to its esteemed as well as numerous customers is just as important as importing petroleum products into the country. Keen consideration is given to marketing high grade products that customers utilize for the effective performances of vehicles and other gadgets.
Besides, the company ensured that its calibrated pumping machines used in Filling Stations are modern and standardized in order to give customers their monies’ worth. These machines are very transparent, as they display the number of litres pumped and the corresponding prices. Besides, customers concerns and suggestions are taken into consideration when policies are formulated and Management decisions arrived at, which makes it possible for various shades of opinions and inputs to be factored into how the company tailors its operations.
With the avowed aim of making their customers feel at home, NP-SL-Ltd has made the procurement of petroleum products very simple by introducing the use of NP Smart Card. NP Smart Card has unique embedded security features which cannot be easily faked by unscrupulous persons and the Card could be top-up to contain a considerable amount of money which a particular customer could use for purchasing purposes, with amounts deducted depending on the quantum of the products so far demanded. Indeed, it is a latest technological device and is becoming very trending.
For effective cooking purposes the company also has on offer for sale NP Gas, a device found in different cylinder shapes, that could be accessed at all the company’s Filling Stations as well as authorized dealers at affordable prices. Environmentally and medically certified as user friendly, NP Gas is presently going like hot cakes and there are energized workers in all the stations that readily offer tips or guidance as to how to optimally make use of this wonderful gadget. As a matter of fact a particular user can easily gain access to gas for refilling purpose.
NP-SL Ltd has, over the years, in its drive to roll out the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility complementing Government’s efforts to enhance improved standards of living. One way in which the company recently demonstrated it Corporate Social Responsibility was by donating a whooping sum of One Billion Leones to the Government of Sierra Leone to scale up the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
To have branches in different parts of the country and going further to have a presence felt within the West African sub-region tells of how the company is determined to grow. We now have NP in Liberia, Guinea, Ivory Coast and The Gambia and the vibrant functioning of all those branches is a true testimony of how successful its shareholders and Management want to see customers enjoying qualitative petroleum products. The company is providing job opportunities in those countries and at the same time paying taxes, which form components of generated revenues that are used by the respective Governments to undertake the implementation of various development programmes and projects.
NP-SL is moving on the right trajectory and deserves all the necessary support it requires to move from one height to another. The company is poised to continue creating meaningful impacts and consciously moving towards the direction of always setting the pace for others to follow.
