Civil servants consider recent increase in salaries “cosmetic measure”
A cross-section of civil servants in Cameroon, have termed the recent 5.2% increase on their salaries, a cosmetic measure.
The public was informed of the increase on Tuesday, January 31, among other measures which will take effect from February 1. This included an increase in fuel, which has been heavily criticized.
“Adding fuel prices and then going to increase a particular percentage on salaries as far as civil servants are concerned, makes me laugh,” Stanley, a teacher in Maroua reacts.
“It was just to cover our eyes, a cosmetic measure. It is not actually solving the problem on ground. It is very insignificant because increasing the price of one commodity goes to affect prices of many other basic products,” the teacher lamented.
Stanley pointed out that “a taxi driver is going to buy the fuel. When he will get it expensive, the obvious thing is that the taxi fare is going to be increased,” he regretted.
Speaking to two civil servants in Douala, shock and dissatisfaction were the sentiments expressed.
“It’s like the government knew that these prices have been increasing. Adding fuel price, the citizens will not take it anymore. It might cause a strike, so in order to avoid any riot in the country, they go ahead and they increase the salary of people by 5.2%,” one of the two government workers walking back from work said.
His colleague contradicting part of the argument, highlighted that “it still does not solve the problem. People that use the fuel are not even salary earners. Majority of the people are the taxi men and the bike men. So it’s only by luck that they can avoid it because I’m pretty sure people can’t take this anymore”.
Fuel prices have been increased from F CFA 575 to F CFA 720 (Diesel), F CFA 630 to F CFA 730 (Super). This comes to add to the spiralling prices of basic commodities in Cameroon.
