17 February 2014, Monrovia – The scarcity of diesel fuel oil on the Liberian market has caused serious problem in the country that is said to be affecting private businesses and some government institutions in the country. In an interview with several business owners yesterday in Monrovia, they said that the scarcity of the commodity on the Liberian market is causing serious setback for their businesses.
Some of the affected business people who spoke to this paper complained that the situation is also affecting hospitals, and almost everybody in the country. The businessmen and women further complained that there has been a percentage increase in transportation fares due to the hike in the price of fuel.
Some of them complained that they are finding it difficult to get to their various destinations due to the shortage of commercial vehicles as many of them have been parked due to the scarcity of fuel and the percentage increase.
Businessmen and women added that if the situation continues for many days, there will be serious problem in the country and that their operations will undoubtedly cease because they will not continue to use their private generators and other devices.
Among other things, the business people have appealed to the Liberian Government for quick intervention to have the fuel situation resolved.
Meanwhile, the Managing Director of the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC), T. Nelson Williams says the country is currently experiencing a fuel issue and not a fuel shortage.
Speaking yesterday at the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism’s (MICAT) weekly press briefing, the Director General of LPRC said that a ship coming from Europe would be arriving in the country today, February 14, 2014, bringing along with it some two million dollars of fuel.
According to the LPRC Boss the ship which should have been in the country since Monday encountered some technical problems, but the ship has ever since been repaired and would be in the country today.
The LPRC Boss said that the country has different means of obtaining fuel; one is through shipping which with the malfunction of the ship failed, another is from Ivory Coast, but Ivory Coast is currently undergoing repairs and could not facilitate Liberia’s fuel needs at this time.
– The Inquirer