- More Hardship
- More Suffering
Petrol price is expected to hike today from Le8, 500 to Le10, 000. The new price means an addition of Le1,500.
The expected increase has opened big room for discussion among members of the public. It runs contrary to a key promise made by Organization of Oil Exporting Countries (OPEC) in the face COVID-19 pandemic.
When Corona Virus struck in November 2019, OPEC pledged to cut down on fuel price as part of its contribution towards the campaign against the virus.
Drivers, fuel owners and operators brace up for the increase. Commuters brace up for more suffering. The increase will see them in long queues in the rains and under the sun. Most commuters cannot afford the current price especially on taxi cars talk less of another increase in price.
News for the increase is compelling other drivers to stockpile on their reserves. Abu kamara is a driver of a taxi plying Waterloo-Masiaka highway. He told Nightwatch that the price hike caught them by surprise. “No matter the situation, we have to run our vehicles,” Kamara said.
Kamara says he has bought several gallons to prepare for the increase. At all cost, vehicles must run, but passengers bears the brunt of the running cost. Drivers, Kamara says, will have to increase fares for passengers.
“Whatever the increase in the price of fuel, we drivers will have to make slight increase in the transport fare. It could be like Le500 or Le1,000,” he said.
The increase, Kamara said, was to meet part of the vehicle’s expenditure. Commuters are worried about the expected increase. They foresee much suffering and hardship in a fuel price hike. For them, they head for a bleak future.
A primary school teacher, Fatty Bangura is a regular commuter. Mrs Kamara resides at Texaco community, east of Freetown but teaches in a school on Wallace Johnson Street in central part of the city.
She spends close Le15, 000 (fifteen thousand Leones) daily on transport while she earns less than Le1, 000, 000 (one million Leones).
She has two kids to fend for since her husband is not gainfully employed. In such a situation, there can be no question about suffering for men in the street. Fatty represents thousands of low-income earners who struggle to make ends meet at homes. Fatty and other low cadre public and private sector workers could be better off.
Those in the informal sector apparently are the hardest-hit. These are the petty traders, the retailers and the labourers among others. The situation will be a bit difficult in the face of COVID-19 restrictions. Taxi cars and tricycles are permitted to carry three and two passengers respectively.
A price increase in fuel means worsening an already polarized situation. A finger of blame is being pointed at government for the frequent increases in fuel. The people believe that fuel price hikes are directly connected to the removal of subsidies, one of structural adjustment programmes of IMF (International Monetary Fund).