Liberia Petroleum Refinery Company: Divulges Twelve Days National Supply of Gasoline

By Abdul Rahman Bangura –

NEW AFRICA DAILY NEWS ( NADN ) Freetown, Sierra Leonne- Liberia Petroleum Refinery Company’s Deputy Managing Director for Administration – Stanley A. Ford, the container is on its way from neighboring country capital – Freetown. And will enter in Monrovia with the awaited commodities. In contrast to the assertion made previously by the Minister of Commerce – Wilson Tarpeh that there is an expected shortage of gasoline in the country, the LPRC Deputy MD verified the Senators that, there are products to serve the public before the arrival of the scheduled tanker.

In addendum, the extended strings that are presently existing; suffered at filling stations are out of dismay due to Coronavirus eruption that, there would be a scarcity of commodities, primarily when countries that ship the products are equally affected by the spurt of COVID 19.

“Honorable Senators, we have been working with the importers and they have given us assurances on the availability of products,” he announced.

The LPRC DMD at the same time told the Senators that the LPRC is currently working on its expanded storage facility to stores up to 12,000 metric tons, adding “Our goal is to be able to store enough products up to six to seven months”.

He asserted that in recent times, the LPRC was giving out 50,000 gallons of gasoline per day, but due to the rush, it is now giving out 70,000 gallons a day.

Also speaking at the hearing, the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Wilson Tarpeh clarified that his recent statement was meant as an alert of a possible shock due to the global crisis.

“Senators, I will be very careful because, this is the similar presentation I made a few days ago at the House of Representatives that got grossly abused,” Minister Tarpeh.

“In this global crisis there has been a disruption of world trade and commerce and as a country, these things will equally happen to us. It is not our fault, therefore, we need to strengthen our sub-regional trading, because most of the countries we depend on for our product are also affected.”

On his part, Minister Tarpeh noted, due to the solitary aftermaths, there is a necessity to presently plop LPRC in the responsibility to procure the commodities themselves, thereby generating the macro-economic adjustment.

Several Senators recommended the related forces to harmonize their activities in a bid to stop the chasms in communication sharing.

In summation, the Chairman of the Committee – Senator Brown called on the LPRC to maintain a monthly rendezvous with the importers, as a way to amass first-hand evidence in injunction to carry the mandatory actions that would avert the scarcity of products.

For New Africa Daily News Abdul Rahman Bangura Reports,  Africa Correspondent