SW: Inhabitants rejoice gas is finally made available but price still an issue
Inhabitants of Buea, South West region of Cameroon have expressed their joy after thousands of gas bottles were made available after several weeks of scarcity. Hundreds gathered at the Check Point neighborhood this october 25th to secure at least a bottle at the price of F CFA 6,600 instead of the F CFA 6,500 recommended by law. This was however still an acceptable increase in price considering the time and energy wasted by inhabitants looking for what was gradually becoming as precious as gold in the region.
24 hours after the supply, prices have risen by almost 100%:
“Now we all were happy gas finally came but the question is, why will retailers buy even at F CFA 7,000 and sell to us at F CFA 10,000frs a yellow bottle and F CFA 12,000frs for a red bottle?” Aristole a university student wonders.
“Just when I was about warming water to wash my child, gas got finished. I was comfortable knowing gas had arrived Buea so I took my bottle to get gas and was asked to pay F CFA 11,000 for a yellow bottle of gas and I was so confused. I can’t understand why we complain of gas scarcity, finally comes without a price increase from the suppliers but from the seller and we complain about Cameroon government?”a nursing mother Stella says bitterly.
People have been asking why the sudden price increase whereas the government has not said anything about an increase:
”For me to be able to cook now, I need ‘connection’, “Elizabeth, a student, jokes
“For us with large families, we are completely in trouble added to the fact that these gas bottles come with little gas inside. Just two weeks after buying a new bottle, the gas is finished meaning the quantity too has been reduced. It’s really hard on us,” Godfrey Atialem,a father and a teacher laments.
“Atleast the gas came ,half bread is better than nothing,we can learn to manage our usage in spite of the price though I think something should be done, “Christable Fomum an inhabitant of Buea says.
The ministry of trade is yet to make any declaration on the issue of price increase.
