Sierra Leone’s Petroleum Regulatory Agency (PRA) has sealed and suspended the operating license of the Conex Gas Station in Lungi, Port Loko district on allegations of Extortion and Indecent Behavior.
Prior to this development, enforcing its mandate to uphold industry standards, the PRA sealed the Conex Grafton Gas Station.
The action came in response to significant violations of regulatory protocols and aims to ensure that petroleum operators prioritise public interest and adhere strictly to their licensing obligations.
The PRA’s investigation revealed gross misconduct, including price gouging and other practices that undermine consumer trust and violate established industry standards.
In Lungi, reports have it that the dealers at the gas station have been unnecessarily increasing fuel pump price on customers, taking advantage of the artificial scarcity of fuel in the district. The license for the gas station is also suspended with immediate effect, and the dealer fined NLe50,000 for grossly violating the industry established rules and regulations.
The Agency has said the enforcement is meant to achieve a culture where oil operators put the public interest first and act in line with their license obligations, while reassuring the public that it will continue to monitor and enforce compliance rigorously to protect consumers and maintain fair market conditions.
The PRA has also assured that further actions and penalties will be imposed as necessary to ensure adherence to the rules governing petroleum sales.
Responding, Conex Energy Management has condemned the action of the station attendants, describing it as one that depicts unprofessional behavior and one that is not reflective of the Company’s core values and standards.
In a press statement, the Company said: “We place a very strong premium on good customer service and customer satisfaction and regularity conduct training sessions for all our station staff nationwide. We are therefore extremely shocked and appointed at the behaviour of these two-station staff at Grafton and Lungi.”
The Company said station attendants working at filling stations are directly employed by its dealers who are charged with the responsibility of managing these stations in line with Conex core values and standards.
Conex Management said it has reached out to the two station dealers concerned and they have both confirmed that they will terminate the services of the two employees with immediate effect.
