Under the dynamic leadership of its new Executive Chairman, Mr. Brima Mohamed Baluwa Koroma , The Petroleum Regulatory Agency on Tuesday 22nd January, 2019 has undertaken an unannounced spot check on several fuel stations in the Western Area.

To the alarm of PRA, the inspection team discovered that some proprietors had their fuel stations next to their dwelling house.

It is easy to imagine the risk associated with highly inflammable commodity like refined petrol being stored closed to a dwelling house should a fire breakout.
PRA also discovered that, many fuel stations did not have fire extinguishers and sand boxes for quickly dousing out fire.

The PRA Executive Chairman commenting on the discoveries said that action will be taken against all the fuel outlets that did not meet acceptable safety standards.

PRA was established by an Act of Parliament in 2014. Prior to it was the Petroleum Unit that reported to the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the ministry supervising the downstream Petroleum industry in Sierra Leone.

It was created through the services of industry experts to effectively manage, monitor, supervise and co-ordinate the operations of the petroleum downstream sector. PRA was established as an autonomous entity with the overall mandate in conducting independent regulatory functions. As a statutory body, it is empowered to carry out the following:

Issue license and regulate the importation, refining, storage, transportation and distribution of petroleum products in a bid to ensure their regular supply to users at reasonable standard prices, and the efficient administration and enforcement of the enactments relating to downstream petroleum activities. It also does spot checks on various petrol stations.

Vision
To efficiently Connecting Global Energy supplies, and to be a catalyst for economic transformation and growth in Sierra Leone
Mission:

To Regulate, Monitor and oversee Petroleum and Petroleum Products in the downstream industry in Sierra Leone, for growth, efficiency and stakeholder satisfaction
Core Values include:

PROFESSIONALISM
The institution holds itself accountable as professionals at all times, takes pride in producing high quality results, and delivers exceptional services to the government and stakeholders.

INTEGRITY
PRA functionaries onduct themselves with the highest impeccable standards; make honesty and transparency the foundation of their actions.

TEAM WORK
We rely on each other for team success.

To interface with the public, PRA has a website: www.prasl.org, a significant progress towards reinforcement of its information and communication strategy.
It also ensures the effective dissemination of information pertaining PRA’s mandate of regulating the downstream petroleum sector in Sierra Leone.

Through the website, PRA hopes to strengthen stakeholders’ engagement and increase voluntary compliance of industry players, where required to do so. This website is user-friendly to ensure a seamless communication flow and provide a level playing field for all stakeholders including the Government of Sierra Leone,

Oil Marketing Companies and interested public/consumers.
PRA looks forward to receiving feedback from its clients and stakeholders about its services and operations and mandate of connecting global energy supplies effectively.