-CSO on Petroleum speaks

The outgoing National Chairman for the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations on Petroleum, Moses Mambu, who officially handed the baton to his deputy, Alphonso Manley, has told journalists at a news conference held at the conference hall of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists yesterday that the Government of Sierra Leone does not determine the prices of fuel per barrel, as Sierra Leone is not an oil producing country.

Mambu explained that when it comes to the importation of fuel, it is Oil Marketing Companies that are undertaking it, expressing that the government of Sierra Leone is only there to regulate the sector, through the National Petroleum Regulatory Agency (NPRA) headed by Brima Baluwa Koroma. He informed journalists that he decided to relinquish his position from the Coalition on the understanding that he is now vying to occupy a political position under the Sierra Leone People’s Party.

Addressing the hall, Mambu explained that before 2018, the office of NPRA, formerly Petroleum Regulatory Authority (PRA), used to have 7% storage capacity of Petroleum Products, but since Brima Baluwa Koroma took over, he has ensured the storage capacity is increased by 300%; an indication that even if there is fuel scarcity in the world, Sierra Leone will be able to manage her petroleum products to last for ninety days. He added that the government’s official pump price for fuel is Le 27, pointing out that if Oil marketing Companies decide to sell below the official government price ceiling, there is no way they have committed any crime. He expressed that the “issue of fair competition instituted by NPRA is the benefits of what we are enjoying today as a nation.  We saw what PRA did in salvaging the situation on fuel crisis in Guinea. Government does not determine the price of a barrel of fuel.

“Government’s official price is Le 27 per litre and if others are selling at Le 24, that is the beauty of open market system,” he said. “There’s nowhere in the world where the prices of fuel remain the same in all cities or districts. Even in the US, the prices are different in different states. Sierra Leone is doing well in the sector. All what we see today is as a result of competition.

“Today if you want to register your company, you can do it within 24 hours. We want the public to understand that government will not support any marketer to sell above the official government price of Le 27. We are among the four countries selling fuel at the lowest price;” he said.

During the Ramadan and festive seasons…for the first time there was no fuel scarcity. Some petrol stations run on a 24-hour basis, and today there is price stabilization.

He furthered that if prices are falling, that’s competition in an open economy, adding that in a Market Base Economy, the product determines the price of the commodity. He stressed that as CSOs they deeply frown at the attack and collect strategy embraced by some Civil Society Organizations, whose aim is to blackmail the NPRA.

Acting as Chairman for the event, William Saio Lamin, who also doubles as Chairman for the West Africa Civil Society Organizations, said it was a follow up press conference to the last one. He added that the discussion is purely based on issues, and there is no way they will go personal. He dismissed the lies being peddled by Edmund Abu, stating that the man is running a one man CSO. ‘‘Let Edmund Abu show his registration membership as a CSO,” he queried.

“The man is behaving like a comedian. We have to respect our authorities. How can you be running after management with the avowed aim of extorting them, and once they fail to give him; the next day you will see him attacking the institution on social media. This is what we refer to as ‘Lelemu Civil Society’,” he concluded.

On his part, Alphonso Manley, in his presentation, gave a brief history about the NPRA, referencing Section 14 of the NPRA Act of 2025. Manley also briefed journalists on how the institution was transformed from PRA to NPRA, explaining further how there’s no term limit at NPRA. “As long as it pleases the President…you are there to serve.”

He added that there are two factors that drive the policy. These factors, he said, are the determinant behind the fuel prices. He therefore made mentioned of the PLATT, which he said is the International Price for Refined Products, adding that it is only NPRA who has the necessary information on that for Sierra Leone. He maintained that the petroleum Pricing Formula introduced and spearhead and supported by the world bank has helped to positively address some of the challenges we used to face as a nation over the years.

‘‘World Bank recruited a consultant to undertake the review; in the person of Dr. Akuwah. The review, Manley stated, has been replicated in over 100 countries, and Sierra Leone is doing well, as evident in the recent award given to the NPRA Chairman as regulator of the year in Africa. Manley said Baluwa Koroma of NPRA was nominated for the best African regulators of the year with17.5 Million votes. He noted that other nationals voted for him, making him to have scored that mark. “This is like what they say that a prophet is never honored in his hometown, but those outside Sierra Leone value his work and what he has continued to do within the sector,” he observed.

“Take for instance when there was fuel crisis in Guinea due to the fire incident, NPRA was awarded a special certificate by the Guinean President because of the role played is salvaging the fuel crisis of the Guineans,” he continued.

Referencing Section 61 of the NPRA Act, Manley advanced that, according to the said act: No dealer is allowed to sell above the ceiling.

NPRA’s mandate, he said, is to regulate the downstream sector on petroleum products and not transportation fares, and therefore he has no authority to regulate the price of transport fares, he concluded.