By Allieu S. Tunkara
Amid difficult transport situation in the nation’s capital Freetown, drivers have embarked on a sit-down strike action owing to a rise in fuel price.
Petrol Price which was Le10, 000 (ten thousand Leones) for a litre is now Le18, 000 (eighteen thousand Leones) slightly above one US$1. Fears for another increase in price in coming days are rife.
Diesel, kerosene and other products are similarly affected. The price is anticipated to hit Le20, 000 (twenty thousand Leones) if measures are not swiftly put in place.
Drivers have insistently complained that government could not control the fuel price at filling stations, but fixed the price commuters should pay.
In the face of rapid price increases lately, drivers seem to be on the wrong end.
They could not take a passenger to the police for failing to meet their price demands. In this situation, the passengers are fully protected from exploitation while drivers say they are left naked.
Government price from Freetown to Waterloo stands at Le5, 500 (Five thousand five hundred Leones) although some passengers pay higher than the said figure.
A regular commuter, Mariama Kamara has told this press that she sometimes pay more than Le15, 000 (fifteen thousand Leones) from Freetown to Waterloo. “The drivers are always ready to drop passengers on half-way if you do not pay the price they demand. It is up to the passengers if they are willing to pay,” Mariama told Nightwatch.
Most passengers are not willing to pay charges not sanctioned by government, a move that causes quarrels and scuffles among between passengers and drivers.
A Waterloo driver, Alimamy Kargbo told this press last Saturday that they could not put up with situation, and thus could not ply the routes.
“We will not run our vehicles until government comes in,” he said.
Chief driver, Amadu Turay at the Motor Drivers and General Transport Workers Union could be reached to confirm the proposed strike.
No government official too could be reached for comments, but a journalist in Waterloo has told this press that the strike is real.