By Ndey Sowe.
The pump price of fuel has yet again increased recently across fuel stations in the Gambia. This reporter went to visit different fuel filling stations on Friday the 2nd of November and discovered that diesel fuel price has increased while petrol price has decrease, 2018.
Speaking to the manager of the Petrogas filling station at Churchill’s Town, Stephen Musa Foon said that on Wednesday mid night the price of petrol went down from D57.85 to D55.36 while the price of diesel increased from D57.65 to D59.19.
He told this reporter that the price of fuel increment is from the market, “so whenever there is reduction or increment in fuel it affects our business”, which he said is not profitable at all.
He opined that since the Gambia has no oil, it is obvious for them to have a decline in their business.
Foon went on to say that when fuel price is stable drivers buy more but when there is increment the number of litres they used to buy before reduces because of the increment, which he said is also not profitable to taxi drivers.
He noted that the bit by bit increment and reduction in fuel hits their sales. He said that in the past it used to take about 6 to 8 months before another increment or reduction takes place, but now the duration between increments is too short, which is not encouraging.
He call on the government responsible to address the issue and fine solution for the bit by bit increment and reduction in fuel.
Abdoulie Njie the manager of Atlas filling station at the Buffer Zone said the price of petrol is D55.36 and that of diesel is D59.19, noting that the petrol price decreased and diesel increases.
He told this reporter that they are notified at least 8 to 10 hours before any increment and reduction in fuel, “I think that the Oder is basically from the ministry responsible, who then inform the players in the market that there are changes”, he said
“I think that the government should disseminate the information through the media for the awareness of every Gambian whenever there is increment or reduction in fuel prices”, he said. He said that some people think that they are the ones responsible for the price hike of fuel.
Njie also expressed similar remarks that the increment has drastically reduced the buying power of customers in the past days.
He expects business will go well because the season is commencing and many semesters are on their way, but in the rainy season business goes down as most truck drivers not operate because of poor road conditions which he said is not favourable to them.
One taxi driver and a private car driver lamented similar remarks. “We are the bread winners of our families who work to take care of them, but the untimely increment in fuel price is getting worse not encouraging at all, particularly in new Gambia.
They urge the government of the Gambia to maintain price control in the country, and hope that fuel price will be stable.
Foroyaa will get in touch with the authorities to seek their opinion on this matter.
