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Many concerned citizens have suggested that the Government should tame the exploitative tendencies of the main importer of the staple food rice into Sierra Leone – CTC – as prices of varieties of imported rice took geometric progression prior to the commencement of the Holy Month of Ramadan.
In a vox pop conducted by The Satellite at the weekend, market women and housewives bitterly complained that par boiled (Pusawai) rice that was sold at Le220 per cup prior rose to Le2500, Le2700 and Le3000 within a week before the commencement of the Holy Month of Ramadan.
They further explained that the 50kg bag of par boiled rice that was sold at Le360,000 in less than a one week ago is now sold at Le450,000, meaning Le90,000 has been added to the original price, adding that the 50kg bag of Butter Rice brand that was at Le320,000 less than a week ago is now sold at Le420,000, meaning the price has increased by Le100,000.
The Satellite learnt form the various interviews with market women and housewives that the prices of varieties of imported rice and essential condiments soared automatically before the Holy Month of Ramadan and it si expected that the prices would continue to skyrocket senselessly unless Government intervenes to cushion the hardship of the grassroots people living in abject penury across the country.
Asked why the sudden increase in the prices of varieties of imported rice, some of the market women alleged that only the agents of the main importer of rice in the country, CTC, are now supplying the local market and increasing prices of rice at will.
According to them, CTC has allegedly argued that the National Revenue Authority (NRA) should not impose the Electronic Cash Register (ECR) machine on them for the Goods and Service Tax (GST) because their agents have already paid for clearance at the Queen Elizabeth II Quay at Cline Town, Freetown.
According to The Satellite Newspaper, it could recall that the Commissioner General of NRA Dr. Samuel S. Jibao had told the public and the business community in particular that the introduction of the ECR machine was not a tax but a system designed to enable products to be sold at a retail outlet. He said it would also help large retail outlet track sales minimize register errors, collect inventory data and much more.
But despite Commissioner General Samuel Jibao has alleyed the fears of the business community with regards the introduction of the ECR machine, many are still vehemently opposed to it because they were benefiting greatly form the manual collection of GSTS that encouraged corrupt practices.
As at press time efforts to contact the public relations wing of CTC to respond to claims by market women and housewives that the company is responsible for the astronomical increase in the prices of varieties of rice, they import into the country proved futile.
Meanwhile, we see the necessity of publishing this story given the way the continuous increase in the prices of varieties of imported rice is affecting most households across the country, CTC therefore has the right to respond to this story which we have published without any bias.
