More Suffering for People
Fuel price is astronomically high and it has brought a sharp thorn in the flesh of the fledging economy. The price of onions has soured in the market due to the shortages of onions in the country. The product (onion) is now sold at NLe25 for three small sizes of onions in the market. Sierra Leone is currently facing a terrible situation as the scarcity of onions hit the market and causing alarming in various house hold in Sierra Leone. Moving things from the frying pan into the fire, the price of fuel has constantly skyrocket every moment and hour. Put simple, the price of petroleum products has witnessed a steady rise in recent times with ripple effects on public transportation and the cost of local products, the price of rice, the staple food, has also progressively hiked. This is coupled with an unprecedented rise in the prices of building materials, with a direct impact on housing. According to Hassan Koroma, a civil right activist said: “looking at the 17 SDS goals, goal 1 focuses on no poverty. In line with that, each and every government has a key responsibility to vastly reduce economic hardship for the people. As civil rights activist, I should be honest here that economic hardship is rapidly growing…”
Sierra Leone has been experiencing rapid increasing fuel prices and with it soaring cost of living over the last few years. Food like all commodities in Sierra Leone is transported by and large within the country by road, thus the price of food commodities is directly related to the price of fuel. As result, high food prices in Sierra Leone have forced Sierra Leoneans to eat cheaper and less nutritious food, to eat smaller portions and less. This has caused increased levels of malnutrition, mental depression and disease, increased poverty and threats to peace, stability and social cohesion in the country. Food like all commodities in Sierra Leone is transported by and large within the country by road, thus the price of food commodities is directly related to the price of fuel.
The fuel crisis has only worsened the already precarious situation of food and nutrition security in Sierra Leone. As the country experiences a continued decline in its macroeconomic status, the crisis has caused a surge in petroleum prices, leading to a ripple effect on the costs of transportation, food, and other essential goods, which has further decreased people’s ability to purchase them. Consequently, the cost of food has remained prohibitively high for many households, with rice prices alone increasing by 60% compared to the same period in 2022.
The Ministry of Transport and Aviation in Sierra Leone has reached an agreement with the Motor Drivers Union and other key stakeholders in the Transport Sector to adjust public transportation fares in response to the recent increase in fuel prices.
The Ministry of Transportation and Aviation with the Motor Drivers Union agreed to increase the price of public transportation from Le7.88 to Le9.14 (Waterloo to Bombay Street).
PUBLIC REVIEW is very concerned about the economic hardship in Sierra Leone. In an alleyway off in the streets of Freetown especially in the central part, many beggars and traders are studiously hammering away at the chain of abject poverty. Public Review visited various communities/ youth locations to seek devised opinions about the high increase of fuel price on food commodities in the country. Indeed, there is a profound feeling and smell of public dissatisfaction and suffering hanging like a dark cloud over the lives and destiny of Sierra Leoneans which need to be addressed NOW. Based on the various opinions gathered, based on the increased of fuel price from NLe21.50 to NLe25.00, the masses are suffering to the core. When you see some of them, suffering and abject poverty is vividly written on their faces and even a blind man can read the poverty lines on their faces. Sitting and standing without hope and financial support, MatiaKomba, a 32-year-old driver and former teacher says things are hard and economic hardship bites deep to the morrow.
Alpha Massaquoi noted even though the Government has stated the cost of a taxi should be Le9,14 drivers are demanding Le8,000 for transportation. “I paid (OL) Le8,000 this morning in a taxi on my way to work, but now base on the increment I am pay (OL) Le10,00” Provincial travel was also affected. A Le3, 000 and Le5, 000 increment has been added to most bus routes. Passengers used to pay Le70,000 from Freetown to Mile 91. But, the price is now Le85, 000. A trip from Freetown to Kono was Le137.18. Passengers will now pay Le159.13 each way.
Moreover, another trader, Aminata Samai, said most of the commodities they are trading come from the provinces. She said, “Pepper, cassava, potatoes – all of those prices have been increased due to the fuel price increase. We normally take supplies and buy from our customers at Guard Street who are coming with the goods from the provinces.” She pointed out if their distributors have increased prices; they are left with no other alternative but to do the same for consumers. Michael Kamara, a construction engineer, said a few days ago he bought a bag of cement for Le150, 000. He added due to the increment in fuel, some shop owners have added Le30, 000 to their old price. Abu Bakarr Kamara normally brings garri to Freetown from Bo. He noted, “The increment in fuel price will cost me an additional (OL) Le200, 000 per bag.” He said the only way he can recover that money is to add his transportation expenses to the price of a bag of garri.
