Popular APC flagbearer aspirant, Ady Macauley, has sharply criticized the recent increase in fuel prices announced by the Government of Sierra Leone, calling the move “gratuitous wickedness.”

In a statement shared on social media, Macauley said, “You increased the pump price of fuel by 45% in 3 months and you telling us the government is subsidising fuel. This is ‘Subsidised Hardship.’ Courtesy of @julius_maadabio SLPP govt.”

The comments follow the government’s announcement that the pump prices of petrol and diesel have been adjusted due to rising global fuel costs. According to an official press release, petrol has risen from NLe32 to NLe35 per litre, while diesel has increased from NLe35 to NLe40 per litre.

The government stated that the adjustment is intended to manage the impact of the ongoing global fuel situation, which affects transportation, electricity, household budgets, and business operations. Based on the prevailing pricing formula, the full market price would have been NLe36.10 per litre for petrol and NLe44.26 per litre for diesel. However, authorities said they have opted not to fully transfer these increases to consumers.

For the period between 2nd and 15th April 2026, the agreed pump prices are set at NLe35 per litre for petrol and NLe40 per litre for diesel. This follows an agreement with Oil Marketing Companies to keep prices fixed within the stated timeframe.

The government also noted that it will absorb part of the cost difference during this period, describing the measure as temporary while ongoing discussions continue with development partners to explore additional relief options should the global situation persist.