Notwithstanding the ceaseless government assurances that there is enough fuel in the country to serve for the next three months, the fuel crisis in the country persists. Yesterday Tuesday 3rd May 2011, the Awareness Times spotted one of the flagbearer aspirants of the main opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), Alpha Timbo, in one of the long fuel queues in Freetown.

At the Safecon Fuel Station situated on Lightfoot Boston Street, Alpha Timbo, who had spent several hours awaiting fuel supply, granted an interview to the Awareness Times.

He was bitter and frustrated that “the All People’s Congress (APC) led government was making a mockery of the fuel situation in the country”.

A frustrated Alpha Timbo and Soko Kai Samba stand in long Petrol Queue at Charlotte St.

“The government has sent out mobile text messages assuring that there is no fuel shortage, but the reality on the ground totally contradicts that assertion,” Alpha Timbo said, adding that he spent several hours in fuel queue in Makeni past Monday.

“Here I am again today in the capital city stranded in a fuel queue of vehicles, motorbikes and people,” he explained his torment.

He described the government text message on fuel as deceitful and provocative.

He cautioned the government to desist from what he described as unacceptable blatant lies.

According to him, he was to travel to the provinces yesterday, “but the fuel crisis thwarted my very important mission”.

Following an approximately five hour in the queue, the fuel station agreed to supply the former government minister only twenty litres of fuel. 

Issa Samura, a Sierra Leonean based in the UK, who is presently on holidays in the country told the Awareness Times at the fuel station that Sierra Leone is moving backwards.

He described the situation as frustrating and unacceptable.

“This is the first time am experiencing such a negative situation in my country,” he said, while calling on the government to do something fast to right the wrongs.