Monrovia – It is less than two days since the Ministry of Transport (MOT) announced the reduction of commercial transportation fares, commuters and passengers are now tussling over the new fares.
Report by Bettie K. Johnson-Mbayo, [email protected]
MOT on Friday announced that the current pump price of gasoline is at LD$485.00 and fuel oil LD$495 is now the government approve price.
The Ministry said the fare will be monitored for the period of three months from July to September due to the fluctuating increase in the exchange rate which depreciates on a daily basis affecting petroleum prices.
According to the ministry, they researched the world market costs of petroleum products for Liberia and taking into consideration some of the economic domestic variables.
MOT says the world market price for petroleum products over the last few months for Liberia is US$0.65 cents per liter of gasoline.
When multiplied by four liters will amount to US$2.60 cents per gallon of gasoline, when converted using the rate of $1USD to LD$131 is LD$340.
The price of diesel for Liberia, according to MOT is US$0.93 cent per liter which amounts to US$3.72 for gallon or LD$487.32 when converted using the current exchange rate.
Aminata CEO Siaka Toure consented to the new fares and petroleum price reduction by the government.
MOT said the reduction is substantial, which only covers Monrovia and its environs excluding the rural and other urban areas.
A commercial driver, in an interview with FPA applauded the government for the move but recommended that the fares commensurate with the current price of gasoline.
Ebenezer Throe, 28, a tuk-tuk rider, the government is doing injustice to transporters.
He says “if you say you drop the fare price it should also affect the drop in the gasoline price, it needs to be holistically done so that both sides (fare and gasoline) should be balanced.”
He argues that the new fare announced and the gasoline price announced by the government is not in commensuration with the current petroleum price at filling station.
Throe said the new petroleum price, which is LD$485 cannot support the decision to drop the fares because it has a reduction of only LD$55.
“At the time, the price the gas was sold for LD$450.00 from Broad street to Monrovia City hall- it was LD$30.00, from Broad Street to 17th street it was LD$40.00, from Broad Street to Airfield was LD$50.00 but now the government has increased the petroleum price to LD$485 and then reduced the fares”?
The new transport fare from Broad Street to city hall is LD$20.00; Broad Street to 17th street LD$25.00 and Broad Street to Airfield is LD$45.00.
Throe is recommending that government hold discussion with leaders of the transport union on the new fare in order to mitigate the disagreements.
He said the regulatory authorities and importers will decide on the new prices adding that the current petroleum price at LD$530 will remain.
Odell Swen, a passenger had a scuffle with a driver identified as Alex on Ashmun Street after he demanded LD$125 from Barnesville to central Monrovia.
The current fare shows that from Broad Street to Barnesville Junction is LD$60.00.
Swen and the driver created a scene that attracted bystanders, forcing her to unveil the new price listing.
But the driver refused to honor it, saying that the government ignored the current petroleum price.
The conflict was later settled by a police officer who asked the driver to leave the woman.