Monrovia – In the wake of the high demand for gasoline and fuel on the Liberian market, commercial bikers and locals, who purchase the products in jerry cans (gallons) are being denied by pump attendants from buying the products.
Reported by Edwin G. Genoway, Jr 00231886458910 [email protected]
For the past weeks, there has been scarcity at various service stations in and around Monrovia with just a handful of stations open to the public for few hours of the day.
Petrol stations are visibly seen close during the day. The very few that can be opened to the public can have vehicles in long queues.
Local retailers otherwise known as ‘can boys,’ are also finding it difficult to get gas and sell to their customers. These boys usually go to the main petrol stations and purchase few gallons of gasoline than go and do their own retailing.
In an interview with FrontPageAfrica, several petrol users frowned on the manner through which they have been prevented from getting gas.
They said the pump attendants don’t provide any justifiable reasons why they are being denied purchase.
“I have gone to more than three gas stations with my gallon to buy gas, but I was denied. The guys told me they were not serving me in gallon; I don’t have a car, my generator needs to run, I saw them serving cars, even the car operators were restricted to buy certain amount of gas,” Moses Yarsiah told FPA.
Junior Morris, a commercial biker in Monrovia, spoke of how he had gone to buy petrol at Super Petroleum (SP) on the Old Road but was denied.
“I went to buy gas and the guy didn’t even ask me he just shouted at me, ‘We are not serving motor bike people or people with gallons.’ Are we not part of Liberia for us to be treated that way? The government needs to do something about this thing,” he said.
FrontPageAfrica was told by some pump attendants that they are not serving commercial bikers because they (bikers) are usually noted for buying half gallon.
“We normally don’t sell half gallon here, we sell one gallon and above to those who want to buy gasoline,” Saukou Kamara told this newspaper at the SP gas station on 9th Street.”
He explained that all of the pump attendants working for SP have been mandated not to serve people using gallons or bike.
“I don’t know on what ground our bosses told us not to serve people with gallon; we used to do it before but our supervisors have advised us not do it again.”
Asked if there was gas shortage, Kamara responded that he is not in the know but sense that it is a political game being played.
“I don’t know if there is shortage on the national level but for us at SP, we don’t have shortage. We still sell gas for L$540 so I see no shortage at all,” he explained.
He, however, blamed the artificial shortage of gas on can boys.
“The can boys buy the gas and take it to their various areas and increase the price. We are not the ones causing this problem,” he stated.
Some of the can boys around Monrovia are selling the product in the big mayonnaise jar for L$750, L$210 more. Other areas, there are reports that a gallon is sold for L$950. This is nearly twice the regular price.
This newspaper was told that car operators are restricted to buying not more than five gallons in order to afford others the opportunity to get some of the scarce product.
James Kennedy, an operator, confirmed that he, too, was prevented from buying more than five gallons.
“I have a Land Cruiser Jeep that takes in more gasoline; I have the money to pay for more than 10 gallons but the guys are telling me they cannot serve me above five gallons. Why the government should be telling us that there is no gas shortage on the market when this is the complete the opposite and gas is in demand like this,” he stressed.