#Article (Archive)

The fuel shortage

May 10, 2012, 1:48 PM

The availability of enough fuel in the country is very important for people and businesses.

We, therefore, see the current fuel shortage as a very serious matter that urgently needs to addressed as soon as possible.

Many people in the country were yesterday stranded on the highways, making it extremely difficult to access their work places and other destinations.

We call on the relevant stakeholders in the petroleum sector to help in addressing the problem soonest.

The shortages have caused many gas stations to shut down, and many drivers to become frustrated, particularly within the Greater Banjul Area.

It is obvious that if people have no vehicle to get to their work places, they would be delayed as they have to spend hours struggling to get transportation.

The goods that should also be transported to various locations in the country would not move on time and, as a result, the businesses would suffer.

It could lead to the skyrocketing of the prices of goods and services.

Therefore, people should do the most necessary work, while they ride out the fuel shortage that is affecting country.

As at now, many people in the country are worried as to how long the fuel shortage would last.

Meanwhile, most gas stations have been turning customers away, at a time when the price of diesel, gas oil and kerosene were reportedly increased and in limited supply.
What made the situation worst was that, as of yesterday evening, neither the government, suppliers, depot owners, retailers and other key stakeholders in the energy and petroleum sectors have made any public communiqué regarding the fuel scarcity.

Every effort must be deployed to ensure that the situation is brought under control, and to avoid dealers increasing the prices of fuel unnecessarily.

There must also be concrete measures and strategies to ensure that there is enough reserve to avert future occurrences of fuel scarcity in the country.

“We are responding to the shortages and taking appropriate measures.It’s critical to keep enough fuel on hand to provide essential services until supplies are back up. We ask people to bear with us at this time.”

Tom Robinson