NPRA Boss Accused of Playing “Hanky Panky” With Fuel Price Review
By VoS Writer
The Director General of the National Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NPRA), Brima Baluwa Koroma, is facing mounting criticism over what civil society groups and citizens are calling a “hanky panky game” in the delayed fuel price review process in Sierra Leone.
Despite repeated public assurances that fuel prices would be reviewed and adjusted on a monthly basis, the NPRA has remained noticeably silent in recent months, even as global petroleum prices have fallen.
During a recent weekly government press briefing, many Sierra Leoneans expected the NPRA to announce a downward revision in pump prices. Instead, Mr. Koroma delivered a presentation outlining reforms in the downstream petroleum sector, claiming that market liberalization had enabled oil marketers to voluntarily reduce fuel prices, making official intervention unnecessary.
While some observers welcomed the idea of market-driven pricing, many stakeholders, including civil society activists, argue that the NPRA’s explanation falls short of its regulatory mandate. They emphasize that official fuel price reviews are critical, especially in a country where fuel costs directly influence the prices of transportation and essential goods.
“The NPRA cannot abdicate its responsibility under the guise of competition,” said one civil society advocate. “Oil companies are profit-driven. Without regulation, the expected relief never trickles down to ordinary citizens.”
One of the most striking contradictions, observers note, is the unchanged cost of transportation. Despite the claim that fuel marketers have voluntarily reduced prices, transport fares remain the same—raising doubts about whether liberalization is having any real impact on the public.
“This situation creates a dangerous precedent,” another civil rights campaigner added. “When the regulator remains passive, the market acts in its own interest, and the average consumer suffers. This is not how a country governed by the rule of law should function.”
Many are now questioning whether liberalization is truly benefiting the “pro-poor” population. Critics stress that fuel pricing is not just a technical or economic issue—it’s a human issue. A drop of even one Leone per liter can mean a lot– a saved fare, or a bit of financial relief for families already struggling to get by.
As public frustration continues to mount, concerns are growing that the NPRA’s perceived inaction is not only eroding public trust but also worsening the country’s cost-of-living crisis.
With pressure mounting, stakeholders are urging the NPRA to resume transparent and consistent fuel price reviews, as was previously promised by its Director General.
Many argue that timely regulatory action is not a favor to the people—it is a responsibility that must be met, especially in these challenging economic times.
