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Civil rights advocacy group Native Consortium has strongly condemned oil marketers, accusing them of creating artificial fuel scarcity to force a pump price increase.
In a fiery public statement addressed to government authorities and regulatory heads, the Consortium declared its “diametrical opposition” to any upward adjustment in fuel prices, calling on the Ministry of Finance and the Petroleum Regulatory Agency (PRA) to hold the line and protect citizens from rising living costs.
Addressing Finance Minister Sheku Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura directly, Native Consortium urged the government to honour the provisions of the recently passed Supplementary Budget and keep fuel prices fixed at current levels.
During parliamentary proceedings for the recast budget, the finance minister noted that a primary driver behind the supplementary provisions was absorbing external fuel shocks stemming from ongoing geopolitically induced market disruptions, specifically tensions involving Iran and the United States.
Citing those parliamentary assurances, Native Consortium argued that since public funds and fiscal adjustments are explicitly structured to buffer these global shocks, any price increase passed onto consumers would be unjustified.
“If the overarching drive for this supplementary budget is to absorb external shocks… then you must keep the current pump price as it is,” the Consortium urged, appealing directly to the finance minister to shield ordinary Sierra Leoneans who are already facing severe economic strain.
Highlighting the legal authority vested in the regulatory body, the Consortium noted that the Petroleum Regulatory Agency Act explicitly empowers the PRA boss to shut down any filling station caught hoarding petroleum products and to impose heavy financial penalties.
Finally, reflecting on past efforts to organise public protests against fuel price hikes, the Consortium expressed frustration as they were summoned to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).
