By Lansana Fofanah.
The Executive Chairman of the Petroleum Regulatory Agency, Brima Baluwa Koroma, has on Thursday 15th April 2021, paid an on-the-spot visit to the All Petroleum Products industry at the Kissy Oil Refinery in the East-end of Freetown.
The Kissy Oil Refinery was left in ruins for years. But under the New Direction government of His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio, the refinery is now the center for investment for multinational companies after President Bio’s leadership style has succeeded in creating an enabling and friendly business environment.
All Petroleum Products is the latest multinational company that is about to be the game-changer in the downstream sector.
APP is currently constructing a state-of-the-art 120 meters long multimillion-dollar fuel jetty and constructing over twenty fuel farm tanks at the Kissy Terminal with the hope of being the biggest oil marketing company in the country.
Taking the PRA Boss and Team on a conducted tour of their facilities, the Managing Director of APP, Patrick John O’Dwyer said that their presence in Sierra Leone is not just to boost the economy, but to position the country as a major competitor in the region and that the company is willing to inject millions of United States dollars in the economy.
Mr. O’Dwyer said that they have already installed six pipelines out of ten they are working on, and four of those pipelines will be dedicated to the exporting of locally produced palm oil and ethanol by companies like Socfin Agricultural Company while the remaining six pipes will be dedicated for petrol, diesel, and kerosene.
With over seventy thousand metric tonnes storage facility, Mr. O’Dwyer said that the days of fuel monopoly and shortages in the country are over as they are here to be the game-changer.
He added that they also have 1400 cubic tonnes of a gas storage facility that is ready to serve homes in Sierra Leone.
Despite being at the establishment stage of the company, the Manager said that they have already constructed toilets for residents in the community, and considering the risk associated with living around the fuel terminal, they are in talks with the Ministry of Lands Housing and Country Planning for a portion of lands to build standard houses for their relocation.
Commending the company after inspecting their storage facilities and the jetty, Chairman Baluwa expressed his happiness over the massive work done by the company.
Chairman Baluwa said that when they took over as a government, there was an urgent need for reforms in the downstream sector and what the Government is seeing so far from the APP is exactly in line with the vision of His Excellency, President Julius Maada Bio in transforming the economy.
The PRA Boss reiterated the Agency’s commitment to opening the sector for new players as that will not only bring the needed revenue but also create jobs and empowerment for Sierra Leoneans. “We are happy with the job opportunity you have created for Sierra Leoneans. This is in line with His Excellency’s dream to empower and develop our human capital.
“As a regulator, we want to create a level playing ground for every investor to realize its potential. We want to see oil marketing companies in Sierra Leone setting the transformation pace across the world. On behalf of our President, I assure your team of every support needed to explore the market,” he said.
Philip Oshotse, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, APP commended the Government and PRA by extension for creating the enabling environment for their operations.
He said that everything that is needed to complete their operation is available and they will hit the market with their various oil products across the country by June 2021.
He said that they are currently constructing two mega stations; one in Levuma and the other in Jui and pretty soon their presence will be felt across the country.
