By Allieu Sahid Tunkara
Queues are resurfacing at several filling stations in the east of Freetown, Sierra Leone’s capital, where fuel crisis is a usual phenomenon.
The scenario above signals the advent of another fuel hoarding that would cause acute fuel shortage in the country.
It is prudent to expect that everyone feels the pinch, but the low income earners are the most hardest-hit.
The hoarding of petroleum is a direct consequence of an expected price hike in the country.
Drivers and other fuel consumers are making good their fuel reserves to provide for the future.
They are highly hopeful that it would help them when the crisis reaches a worrying trend.
Abdul Kamara, a taxi driver plying between Up-Gun and Hastings in Freetown explained that he was expecting fuel crisis few days back as the price was sure to rise.
“Owners of filling stations are expecting the increase too and they are keeping the fuel by not selling to us,” Kamara said.
As the seeming fuel crisis lingers, Kamara is poised to purchase more as a stitch in time saves nine.
“I have just bought 20 litres of petrol from one of the filling stations in town. I hope to buy more as it will serve me for some time,’’ Kamara said.
As the fuel hoarding continues, the transport situation worsens. Groups of stranded passengers are on the streets, at various bus stops and lorry parks waiting to be conveyed to their various destinations.
But commercial vehicles especially taxi and commercial motorists are thinly visible in the streets.
The few available vehicles are less willing to take passengers to the destinations shown by passengers.
The fuel hoarding is another economic windfall transport owners and operators are ready to exploit regardless of the detriment.
The current fuel hoarding could unleash a transport disaster for commuters in a country hallmarked by unsolved transport difficulties.
Mohamed Kamara is one of the retail traders of petroleum commonly known as ‘jebu sellers.’
Kamara explained that the owners and operators of filling stations hoard the fuel to make more money.
‘’Whenever owners of petrol stations expect that the price of fuel is about to shoot up, they pretend that petrol is not available,’’ Kamara explained.
Kamara’s account is an addition to the already visible indicators that most petrol shortages in the country are artificial.
Fatima Bangura, a teacher in one of the primary schools at Texaco in Freetown, a resident of Allen Town, encounters transport constraints daily.
She explained that most times, she is late for duty owing to transport difficulties in Freetown, but last Monday was the worst.
‘’ After a long struggle to catch a vehicle, I could not succeed because taxis are few on the streets. The ones that are available demand high prices which I could not afford to pay,” she said.
Since much hours have been spent waiting for a vehicle, few hours were left for her teaching and saw that it was not worth the day’s work.
‘’Since I have wasted much time as I could do little teaching for that day I decided not go to school, but to wait for another day,’’ She explained.
Fatty knew that it was against the rule, but she had to put up with situation as it entirely out of her control.
Correspondingly, Commuters are not the only victims of the hoarding, some internet café operators are smelling the rat and they are stockpiling their reserves.
An internet café at Motor Road in Freetown could not access fuel, and the business could not carry on as usual.
The stand-by generator they rely on is not in good working order. Clients come and go without their needs being met.
One of them, Sherriff Kamara was at the Café to do an on-line application for the government grant-in-aid.
Since he could not get the service he demanded, he went in search of another café to do his application as no fuel means no business especially when EDSA service is eclectic.
Scarcely had Sherriff left when two young men arrived at the same café to access military recruitment forms. Their zeal died down when they discovered that there is no electricity.
One of the salesmen at a filling station at Jui in Freetown provided an account contrary to the fuel hoarding.
The salesman told this medium that he expected no fuel shortage in Freetown, adding that the ship had just left abroad for Freetown.
‘’ The ship carrying the fuel is expected to land within two days, and there will be enough fuel in the country,” he assured.
Although the salesman sounded hopeful about the petroleum situation in the country, a skeleton is hidden in the cupboard.
By virtue of his statements, the period between the departure of the ship and its arrival in Freetown spells uncertainty.
As the fuel crisis is now clear, members of the public are pointing accusing fingers at petroleum dealers who have been described as ‘’wicked businessmen.’’
Sierra Leone is a country blessed with mineral wealth including fuel whose presence have been confirmed by oil companies that have embarked on exploration activities.
Chinese companies have embarked on oil exploration in Sierra Leone waters, but have abandoned the trade owing to an unexplained reason.
In May this year, Sierra Leone Petroleum Directorate participated in the American Association of Petroleum Geologists annual convention and exhibition held at the Gonzanleg Convention Centre in San Antonio, Texas.
It brought together over 7, 5000 professionals from 72 countries representing a broad spectrum of the geo-science community.
The head of SLPD, Timothy Kabba represented Sierra Leone in the convention where he announced the re-opening of Sierra Leone’s fourth licensing round for oil and gas exploration.
Kabba made a strong case for investors in the petroleum sector to come to Sierra Leone.
The arrival of credible investors is yet to be realized. It is hoped that investment in the sector would help normalize oil price fluctuations in the country considering that the commodity has some external, political undertone.
The presence of oil in the country has created no difference owing to the lack of investment in the oil sector.
The Petroleum Regulatory Agency is the body charged with monitoring and controlling the activities oil importers. As usual, they could not comment in times of fuel crisis. This one is no exception.