Government rejects unilateral increase in transport prices by transporters

By Stephen TADAHA

The Minister of Trade, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana has rejected the unilateral increase in the prices of urban, semi urban and interuban transport fares imposed by some transporters since. This was the outcome of government’s decision increase prices of petroleum products by 15%.

In a correspondence addressed to trade unionists in the transport sector on Monday February 5, Minister Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana said the transporters should join the concertation approach initiated by his Ministerial department instead of despising government’s efforts. He added that the government had initiated a concertation with the trade unions aimed at examining the impact of the increase in the prices of petroleum products, before proceeding with the possible readjustments that could be carried on in transport fares.

The Trade boss called the authors of the transport fair increases to order warning that they might fall into the hands of the law if they persist.

The government of on Friday February 2, 2024 increased fuel prices, which went into effect on Saturday.

According to a statement by Seraphin Magloire Fouda, Secretary General at the Prime Minister’s Office, the price of a liter of Super has been increased from 730 XAF per liter to 840 XAF and gasoline increases from 720 XAF per liter to 828 XAF.

Fouda said in a statement Friday night that the price increase was due to the need to absorb the growing budgetary constraints that the state is facing and to avoid tensions in the supply of the nation’s market with petroleum products.

As part of the measures to accompany the price hikes, basic salary of civil servants will be increased by 5 percent and “certain” taxes and customs duties in the road transport sector will be reduced, according to official.

Officials said the latest hikes at the retail level were inevitable to reduce the subsidy burden on state-run distribution companies.