By Amin Kef Sesay
In order to whip up public sympathy and patch up the blunder as well as the mess it has enmeshed itself in the so called new player in the petroleum landscape of this country, the All Petroleum Products (APP) Company, has now decided to use certain Civil Society Organizations to pull wool over the eyes of unsuspecting members of the public through the presentation of disjointed unrealities of how it came, what it intends doing and what is actually prevailing on the ground.
It was against such a backdrop that a consortium of handpicked Civil Society Organizations, known as Civil Society Consortium on Petroleum and Industrial Relations, headed by Moses Mambu, convened a Press Conference on the 20th August, 2021.
During the Press Conference, Head of allegedly one of the most notorious and politically infested Civil Society Organizations in the country, calling itself the Civil Rights Coalition, Alphonso Manley, probably out of sheer ignorance, made certain unfortunate insinuations against two of the most formidable petroleum importing and marketing companies operating in the country, namely the National Petroleum-Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL Ltd) and Leonoil.
He made mention that NP-SL doesn’t have the facility to store petroleum products, specifically fuel, for a month. Even if that is the case any serious minded individual will tell you that if Sierra Leone, as a nation, consumes in excess of 1.1 million litres of petroleum products per day and there has been no instance of any major fuel scarcity, for quite a long time, capable of bringing the country to its knees then such a feat speaks volumes of how pro-active NP-SL Ltd is vis-à-vis the importation and marketing of petroleum products otherwise there would have been frequent dislocations or protests.
It must be highlighted at this juncture that fuel scarcities in the past were not caused because of lack of adequate storage facility but rather the vicissitudes of its availability on the world market.
If Alphonso Manley was wrongly schooled let him now learn that NP-SL Ltd do import petroleum products. He tried to create the impression that NP-SL secures fuel from Addax Company in Sierra Leone which is completely erroneous.
For argument sake, let us put it this way: how much fuel does he think Addax can produce from its sugar cane plantations at Magbass that will cater for consumption purpose in the country? How much ethanol does Addax produce to amount to metric tons that the country requires for its daily consumption of fuel? Let him provide answers to those questions.
The reality of the situation is that NP-SL conducts its oil business transactions with Addax in Geneva, Switzerland and not Addax in SL. The company imports petroleum products through Addax just like how Total imports products through its central buying office in France.
You can see how he wrongly misinformed those in attendance out of sheer lack of understanding. This medium does not know if he will resign from Civil Society as he promised to do if proven otherwise but he may want to say he got it right by naming Addax.
He went further to misinform attendees that NP-SL has prevented APP laying their pipe lines, that NP-SL discharged waste oil into the sea shore where APP workers had converged to work at the jetty causing APP to pay 63,000 dollars to clear up the waste oil. What he, however, failed to state is that originally APP approached NP-SL to allow them to pass its pipes within a certain radius which the latter graciously consented to but was later surprised to notice that the APP reneged on the agreement and overstepped the boundary offered them which amounts to blatant trespassing. This is where the bone of contention lies. But to take the argument to another level if NP-SL has no right over its area at the Kissy Terminal why in the first place did APP approach the company to allow them to pass their pipes?
On throwing waste oil by NP-SL that is just a mere fabrication to taint the good image of the company.
This brings to mind the other misinformation churned out by Alphonso Manley that NP-SL don’t has a title bid to the land which can only be rebutted by stating that the company should have been in the net of the Anti- Corruption Commission a long time ago for illegal operation and acquisition of its area of operation.
Stating that the fuel that will be imported by APP will be of EU standard is just smooth talk as those who have been consuming fuel sold by NP-SL Ltd have not be complaining that it is giving their engines problems.
Alphonso Manley must be aware that he cannot succeed in intimidating anyone that stands together with NP-SL as he was talking so forcefully and commandingly during the Press Conference as if he was talking to his side kicks. This medium was not in the least impressed with his utterances as they were only full of sound and fury signifying nothing.
One thing that is quite certain is that since the appointment of Dr. Brima Baluwa Koroma by His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio in 2018 as Executive Chairman of the Petroleum Regulatory Agency (PRA) the petroleum landscape has been characterised by chaos quite contrary to the expectations of many who inter alia thought he will initiate positive reforms from which the country will stand to benefit immensely. His leadership of the regulatory institution has been marked by setting up one petroleum importing and marketing company against another leading to mounting tensions that are inimical to overall socio-economic development quite contrary to what this New Direction Government intends for the country.
His gross incompetency in soberly dealing with sensitive and important issues relating to the petroleum industry in this country has left many wondering whether he actually deserves a Doctorate degree. Just quite recently, he again manifested his gross inadequacy in settling the impasse between the National Petroleum Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL Ltd) and the All Petroleum Products Company (APP) at the Kissy Terminal which emanated from the latter’s infringement or trespass on NP-SL’s leased area by illegally passing a pipe where they are not supposed to.
In a piece done in News 24 under the column “Echo of The Pen” and titled “Between APP & NP…. Who Is The Devil?” he made an erroneous assertion that, “From all indications, it is obvious that the National Petroleum Sierra Leone Limited (NP), has declared an all-out war not only against a reputable oil company; All Petroleum Products, but the Government of His Excellency the President, Julius Maada Bio with the aim to discourage healthy competition in the industry”.
What the author failed to realize is that from the onset this medium has categorically stated that NP-SL Ltd is not in any way jittery over any form of competition whatsoever as long as it is healthy. It must be reiterated that NP-SL Ltd is not in any way trying to gain monopoly over the petroleum landscape in this country. With its forty years, not days, of unblemished qualitative service to individuals and institutions NP-SL Ltd has etched its name in the sand of times to such an extent that it is now a household name bagging the envious accolade of 1st for Customer Care. Why should it be jittery over an unknown company?
This medium may want to believe the view of one of the most outstanding Social Commentators in this country when he said that there is the likelihood that the said owners of the company may have bribed certain public officials huge sums of money which could the factor behind why they are heavily backing APP to gain a foothold here only for the latter to end up bleeding the country in an exploitative manner.
News 24 must realize that the rehabilitation or refurbishment of the Kissy Terminal, which was completely vandalized by rebels during the senseless war period, does not fall within the Mission of NP-SL Ltd which limits its operations only to the importation and marketing of petroleum products. It could have been better if the author would have proffered that it should have been the responsibility of Government to do so.
However, if this time round there has come forward a new player that has the intention of refurbishing the Kissy Terminal then it is good and fine as long as it will boost overall national development. Why would NP-SL be averse to such a positive development and decide to pick a battle with the so-called investor?
The author’s interpretation of the country’s Local Content Policy is completely out of context. In as much as competition is very much important it is but vital for our indigenous business entities to get some form of preferential treatment as opposed to foreign business entities which is by not any form of protectionism. This is best practice everywhere and not inimical to any form of direct foreign investment.
Individuals like the Executive Chairman of PRA are the very ones who are undermining the Bio led administration and as some are suggesting it is high time that he must be shown the exit door if sanity is to be restored within the petroleum landscape of this country.
