The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has shut-down over six filling stations in Gbarnga, Bong County for allegedly hiking the price of gasoline and fuel oil.
In a NewDawn interview Monday, 27 January, an agent of the Ministry in Bong Mr. Adolphus Dolo said the gas stations were shut- down for allegedly violating the Ministry of Commerce’s regulations and policies.
He names Super Petroleum (SP) Filling station, KAA and the Iron – gate filling stations, among others as some of the entities closed down by Commerce.
Adolphus attributes the unprecedented hike in the price of gasoline in the county on premeditated strategy of the allege hikers to create hardship on the locals and put them against the government.
Mr. Adolphus Dolo then appeals to the public to remain calm as the Ministry of Commence exerts all efforts to address the situation.
However, Mr. Dolo did not explain to the public circumstances leading to the shortage of gas in the Country as he argues that it is unlawful for individuals involved to keep pricing gasoline high.
In their reactions, several motorcyclists and commercial car drivers in Bong have expressed frustration over the abrupt hike in the price of gasoline by local dealers.
They tell this paper that the situation is becoming unbearable for them; threatening to paralyze normal traffic activities if nothing is done by government to quickly resolve the matter.
“No one will blame us if we increase transportation because it is very difficult to get the gas and we have to [stand in] a very long queue which sometimes takes more than four hours,” Moses Forkpah, one of the cyclists told our correspondent.
Our Bong County correspondent has gathered that a gallon of gasoline is being sold for LD$640 at the Total filling station in Gbarnga, but local dealers who purchase from Total would further triple the price to 1,500 per gallon to maximize profit.This has made motorcyclists to increase transport fares at a high level across the county.By Joseph Titus Yekeryan in Bong—Edited by Winston W. Parley
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