In Cameroon, the government announced, Friday February 2, the increase in the prices of fuel, premium and diesel, now sold, respectively, at 840 and 828 CFA francs per liter. An increase of just over 12% compared to previous prices. Not really to the taste of consumers who, in an already tense social context, fear the increase in the cost of living.
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With our correspondent in Yaoundé, Polycarp Essomba
At the gas station, the prices announced by the government were quick to be applied. Didier, taxi driver in Yaoundé is already feeling the effects: “True, true, it’s hot, it’s increased, it’s serious!” The 100 km that took me before in 7 000, I end up with 10 000. Where are we going?! »
Resigned
In another taxi, Bernard’s customers, resigned, worry about the consequences of these increases, potentially a source of generalized inflation. “They have increased fuel when the cost of living is getting harder and harder. We can’t get by, even on the market we can’t get by. Maybe we’ll start walking so we don’t take a taxi anymore.”said one of the customers.
“I don’t really agree with this increase. What are we going to do? Already in Cameroon, a way of doing things is imposed on us. What do you want us to do? This only makes the lives of Cameroonians as difficult as it needs to be. It is painful “, says another customer.
Joseph, a bus driver, questions the practice whereby senior civil servants benefit from fuel vouchers paid for by the State, whereas the majority of the people have to pay.
“ Suffering »
“With this increase in fuel, it is we who suffer, the common people. The leaders will have the fuel voucher and they will come and consume, without them understanding what this means. They will not understand the suffering of the people. There are categories of citizens, those who are perched up there and who benefit from all the advantages and there are us who are down here, who are languishing in poverty and who know all the difficulties of the world », Joseph, for his part, is indignant.
To make the bill less steep for consumers, the government announced amortization measures, mainly a slight increase in civil servants’ salaries of 5%.
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