DORI — In response to widespread fuel price speculation and artificial shortages in Dori, the High Commissioner of the Séno province, Wulfran Émile Bamas, issued an order on Thursday, August 8, 2024, setting strict limits on the amount of fuel that can be purchased at local pumps. The new regulations aim to curb the actions of speculators who have been driving up prices by hoarding fuel and reselling it at exorbitant rates.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the decision comes after reports that some individuals in Dori have been creating artificial shortages by buying large quantities of fuel as soon as supply convoys arrive. These secure convoys, necessary due to regional insecurity, deliver petroleum products to the city at intervals of two weeks to a month. Once the fuel is stockpiled, the speculators dry out station tanks within days and then sell the fuel on the black market at prices ranging from 3,000 FCFA to 4,000 FCFA per liter, compared to the official pump price of 867 FCFA.

To counter these practices, the High Commissioner’s order limits fuel purchases to 2,000 FCFA for motorcycles, 3,000 FCFA for tricycles, and 10,000 FCFA for four-wheeled vehicles. This measure is intended to prevent bulk buying and ensure that fuel remains available to meet the needs of the general population.

The new regulations have been well received by the residents of Dori, who have observed a noticeable reduction in the long queues that previously plagued service stations. The measure is seen as a critical step in stabilizing fuel availability and prices, which have a direct impact on essential services and the transportation of people and goods in the region.