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Cameroon: facing the risk of social explosion
Following February 2008 riots, President Paul Biya had decided to implement a dual therapy: the suspension of custom duty on several food items including fish, flour, wheat, rice, and upgrading salaries of 15%. But these measures have not had the desired impact. Thus, the bag of rice of 50 kg which, at the time of the riots, was sold for 34.23 US dollars, now costs 40.23 US dollars in some markets. It reached 48.25 US dollars even in other markets.
“Some traders prefer to sell their goods at exorbitant prices to neighbouring countries. This situation sometimes creates shortages in the local market and makes the price reductions advocated by the government non useful, a trader said in Yaoundé.
Given the population growth, the president of the civic advocacy group, Bernard Njonga, estimates that Cameroon should raise its corn production by 120 000 tons, “otherwise the country will once again experience a major food crisis”. But that’s not all. Water shortages are frequent and indeed several big cities’ neighbourhoods like Yaoundé and Douala are on frequent shortages for several months. Last week, the city of Yaoundé has been without water for three days, and several consumers are wondering if they should go down in the streets to awake the government about this worsening situation”. The other reason for a possible social unrest is the electricity pricing. Last April, the private operator, “AES Sonel”, has decided an increase of 6 francs per kilowatt if above the 400 kWh consumption. This electricity rising price might add more fuelling anger and crystallise the fears of the Cameroonian consumers, urging them again to take the streets as happened in 2008…