By Mohamed Kamara
With nation wide expectations that the decrease of tension between the Israeli-Iranian and United State War which fuel an unprecedented hike in fuel globally would have now been enough for government in affected countries stabilize their fuel prices is not Sierra Leone where public disappointment is seen over a minimal decrease in price of fuel.
James Fornah, teacher in Economics says that during the commencement of the war, they blamed it on them now that tensions have decrease, prior to continuous demands from the general public. They have done what is expected of them with a slap on the jaw. James said that the government of Sierra Leone irrespective of which party that forms government would never do better because of an attached institutional obligation that bites the pockets of the common man. He said Nambia in Southern Africa, became the only country in Africa that was lightly affected but with enough storage of fuel. He said the government of Nambia waisted no time to curb down all commissions per each litre sold to over five national institutions, he said that was how they secured stability and less worries for its citizens.
In contrary, he said in Sierra Leone, over five institutions benefit commissions from each litre sold. He said if this had been discouraged, government subsidies to petroleum companies during crisis would have been lesser hence the commissions per litre given to other institutions would have been saved to curb down fuel crisis. He said another problem is the number of fuel importers who are granted license. He said the excuse they give is that they don’t do business in the same export countries, meaning each country with its own business latitudes to follow. James said unlike yesteryears when fuel importation was divided among NP, Leoneco and Total which were divided by 50, 25 and 25 percentages each, things were much more better than now.
