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It could be recalled that a week ago, the Ministry of Transport and Aviation announced an agreement with the motor drivers union and other key stakeholders in the transport sector to adjust public transportation fares in response to the increase in fuel prices.
According to the price list, routes in the Port Loko area, such as Lungi, Kambia, Lunsar, Makeni, Tagrine, and Lokomasama, should pay new Leones 62.35, 37.41, 31.18, 74.82, 18.71, and 34.91 respectively.
A passenger by the name of Hawa said they are paying 60 new Leones from Port Loko to Lungi, 20 new Leones to Tagrine, and 45 new Leones to Lokomasama, which shows fluctuations in the prices.
The District Drivers Union secretary, Ishmael Sorie Kanu, highlighted some challenges they are facing as a union, stating, “Based on the community’s strength, the rising cost of fuel is not good for the people at all.”
He added that they are not the regulators of prices; there is a body responsible for that.
“We used to release ten to fifteen vehicles a day, but due to the increase in prices, this has reduced immensely. Now, market women can combine and send one person to buy for them, which reduces the number of passengers.”
He ended by saying, “Most times, passengers pay less than the fixed price based on negotiation.”
Moreover, Issatu Sesay, a petty palm oil trader from Kasse, mentioned, “My business is not as normal as before, and now I’m just managing the situation.”
The price controls in the country depends on the fuel price