Commercial motorcycle riders in Port Loko City staged a sit-at-home strike on Friday, September 1st, 2023. This action followed a significant gathering of riders who congregated on the streets of the town on Thursday evening, chanting "tomorrow is the day" to alert the public about their forthcoming protest.
Isheka Bangura, a motorbike rider stationed at the NP park in Port Loko Town, disclosed the reasons behind the strike, citing two primary concerns. Firstly, the abrupt surge in fuel prices, and secondly, apprehensions about a potential police crackdown on their operations.
In contrast, Abubakarr James Bangura, the chairman representing bike riders in the Bakeh Loko Chiefdom within the Port Loko District, expressed his lack of awareness regarding the strike. He explained that he had been absent and received no information from his superior, who serves as the overall chairman of the District. He further acknowledged receiving numerous calls from authorities such as the Assistant Inspector General (AIG), the Local Unit Commander (LUC), and the Office of National Security (ONS) regarding the strike but was unable to account for it. Mr. Bangura committed to communicating with the heads of his park to ascertain the causes of the strike and determine the next course of action.
In preceding days, motorcycle riders had voiced their frustrations over the surge in fuel prices and the anticipated police crackdown on commercial motorcyclists in the township.
The Petroleum Regulatory Agency (PRA) and its partners had recently announced an increase in fuel prices from NLe 25 to NLe 30. This decision provoked widespread discontent among residents in the capital city, Freetown, who feared that low-income individuals would bear the brunt of this hike.
Government authorities, on the other hand, defended their decision by explaining that reducing fuel subsidies would enable them to allocate funds to support other sectors, as they grappled with the economic challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine.