Hike in cost of basic commodities, a threat to peace in Cameroon - Citizens react

Courtesy - Harry Ndienla Yemti


Cameroonians are yet to come to terms with the bitter fact of price hike of basic commodities on various markets in the country. The situation became worse after the recent 4-day strike in the country orchestrated by the population against the rising prices of fuel and other commodities.

For example; bread, the staple diet of some residents is almost becoming a luxury just because the prices of flour have risen drastically within a very short period of time. Consequently a 50kg bag of flour rose from 14.500 FCFA to 21.500 FCFA in some areas. Thus a kg which used to sell at 250 FCFA is now sold at 500 FCFA.

This increase in prices has not been limited to bread and flour. There is a general increase in the prices of foodstuffs and other commodities. A basket of tomato that used to sell at about 500 FCFA is today sold somewhere above 1.000FCFA making a ‘hip’ to cost between 100-400 FCFA. Meat is also a sad story as a kg now cost between CFA 3000 and 4000, up from CFA 1500, before the strike.

Those not withstanding, other widely consumed products of basic necessity have also skyrocketed. These include; ‘njangsang’, ‘egusi’, ‘galic’, oil, salt and sugar.

On the other hand, the costs of building materials have also skyrocketed. A bag of 50kg Cement now cost CFA 6000, up from CFA4500, before the strike.

The astonishing fact is that the price hike is coming at an unusual period of the year owing to the fact that in the past, fluctuation in commodity prices have usually been experienced in the last quarter of the year which had also been matched my salary increases for civil servants.

In a vox pop conducted in some parts of the country, most of our respondents accused the government of mismanaging the entire situation. They all recommended a drastic reduction in taxes along with an increase in salaries to ameliorate the situation. Others believe farmers should be encouraged by giving them subsidies to enable them to produce more and sell cheaper.
---------------------------------
Reactions;

The act is that of an irresponsible government.

“What I have noticed in this country is that the poor pay more and as a policy the government is rather politicizing them rather than putting policies in place that can alleviate poverty. We have noticed that there are price hikes because of high taxes and we see this as a deliberate government policy to force people out of business. We think they will again broaden the tax base since they have broadened government, and this means additional expenditure meaning prices increase because of high taxes levied on businessmen and their goods by the government.

In fact, all basic commodities – be they imported or home-made are over taxed by this regime, so
businessmen must increase prices to make profit. Government should reduce these taxes and increase civil servants’ salaries so as to increase their purchasing power. The situation has been terrible and disturbing since the beginning of the strike. The slow but steady increase in prices of foodstuffs has left Cameroonians wondering what government is doing to make things better. The series of meetings held between the minister of commerce and actors of the sector in order
to come up with measures to curb the problem seem to me a smokescreen. The situation has been worsening by the fact that money doesn’t circulate normally. If Cameroon is called African in miniature it’s because we have all the natural resources found on the continent; but to my imagination the government makes things very difficult for Cameroonians. I think our
country’s potentials are not properly used for the benefit of all.
It’s only an irresponsible government that can allow its citizens to wallop in abject poverty like in
Cameroon. Thus you will agree with me here that only people who care less if not little about the masses have been at the centre of our government over the years. The situation in our villages is quite deplorable with people living with less than 100FCFA a day to buy all the basic necessities at exorbitant prices.

The situation is alarming. I also think that if indeed prices have to increase, those of basic foodstuffs like tomatoes, rice, sugar, salt amongst others should not be touched. It’s a pity that most of those who vote such laws are not affected by same. At the rate at which things are going, many homes will be unable to afford more than one square meal a day. Thus my suggestion is that Cameroonians should go on the street to express their discontentment. That would
make possible the international community know they are badly treated by their irresponsible government”

Permanent Secretary’
ACDIC – Southwest Province.
----------------------------------------------
Bad governance is the cause

“God has blessed this land with lots of natural resources and hardworking people, but prices are
increasing everyday because of bad governance. The people begin to wonder whether the authorities can standardise these prices. Now is the time for NGO’s to play their role to making the public understand that they have right to complain about unjust prices and protest against such? Hike in prices of basic commodities imply that the average Cameroonian can no longer afford for these commodities easily. This means that they are being deprived of their own resources. High taxes are not supposed to be imposed on home-made goods. The hike in prices of basic commodities is caused by the inconsistent tax policy of the regime. What one
pays today is not the same amount he pays tomorrow on the same business line”

Lyonga Williams Mumbe
Chairman, BONAVADA-Community,
Buea
---------------------------------------

Improve farm-to-market roads

“As a retailer, I am extremely touched by the price hikes in the country. It is a scandal that everything is expensive in this country. Like many of my colleagues, we have problems getting our goods from the villages due to the poor state of our roads. Farmers want to cover their transportation costs by all means and as a result make us pay high prices for commodities. We in turn, have to make profits. It’s therefore imperative on our government to improve farm-to-markets roads and also reduce fuel prices as this will enable us pay less and make possible food
products to reach the market in good condition”.

Mafany Nangahnje

------------------------------------------------------

This government cares about the welfare of it citizens only in terms of policy

“As a civil servant and husband, I think it weighs on us heavily in that our wage bills is not increasing but had decreased with about 60 percent so many years ago and government seems to do little or nothing to improve the situation. The cost of living is increasing daily there by coursing our purchasing power to go dawn thus increasing the level of poverty and malnutrition in many families to increase drastically.
May I say here that this government cares about the welfare of it citizens only in terms of policy but practically the government is doing very little to improve on the welfare of the common man. These situations also create a common ground and a fertile soil to breed corruption which is so rampant in the country”.

Luise Nkembi,
CEO-ERUDEF, Ngo,
Buea.