In Senegal, after the announced drop in the prices of rents and several foodstuffs such as rice, sugar or oil, President Macky Sall asked the government on Wednesday November 9 to ” take all the regulatory acts of effective application “. The measures were taken at the end of a national council on consumption on November 5, to help households in the face of high inflation. Consumers welcome it, but are still waiting to see the effects on their purchasing power.
With our correspondent in Dakar, Charlotte Idrac
Mariama Ba rents an apartment in the Medina district. This weighs heavily on the household budget: “ For the rental, we pay 210 000 CFA francs for two bedrooms, a living room. This has much increasedbefore we paid 150 000 CFA francs, it’s not easy for us. »
In principle, a reduction of 20% is planned for rents below 300,000 CFA francs (about 460 euros). Concretely, how will it be applied? Momar Ndao is the president of the Consumers Association of Senegal:
It will be from the end of the month, of course. The reduction is applied by the tenant, that is to say that the person who normally has to pay 100,000 CFA francs will instead give 80,000 CFA francs to his lessor. It’s that simple. We have set up what is called the National Rent Regulation Commission.
On the Tilene market, rice or oil prices have not yet fallen. ” We have to wait for the decrees and implementing orders explains Ibrahima Dramé, President of the National Union of Consumers of Senegal. Because then, the authorities announced the mobilization of 1,000 young people to monitor compliance with the prices:
” We will follow up with our members throughout the national territory. I think that these volunteers will come in addition so that the control is effective on the ground. »
But in the meantime a trader says to himself helpless: “ if the wholesalers don’t lower their prices, I can’t sell at a loss. »