Commercial drivers to strike over fuel price increment

Outraged by the immediate price increase of fuel without any word of warning, all motorists including motor taxi drivers, ordinary taxi drivers, long distance carriers, truckers etc, are embarking on an indefinite strike from Monday, July 7.


It was announced by Jean Ndefossokeng Collins, president of the National Union of Employees of Terrestrial Carriers after the diffusion of a release regarding increased fuel prices signed by Louis-Paul Motazé, general secretary of the Prime Minister.


Yaoundé City has been abuzz with concerned motorists unions since the announcement of this new measure. Among carriers, it is a general strike because they say, "we feel humiliated and scorned, because at no time have we been associated with the idea of increasing fuel prices in Cameroon. So now we will react proportionally to the humiliation and contempt that we have suffered."
Delor Magellan Kamgaing, of Cameroonian Consumers League (Lcc) also talks about a protest march. "This Friday, July 4, 2014 in Mahima Elig Essono, the Lcc expect all consumers to scroll 18h massively against it! Just express our discontent and our rights,"


Frank Hubert Ateba, president of the organization of civil society, Afrique Avenir, said that “We should ask Cameroonians who are holders of sovereign power to encourage them to ask for explanations and the only way to do is to take to the streets to be heard, listened to and influence those who have made this decision which is against the fragile economic stability of our country.


“For those who are patriots, I think it is good manners to ask those who do not pay the fuel going to stop the charade. Yet, some remain convinced that the Government has followed part of their proposals. This is the case of Isaac Snegbefcam Bissala.


“It is we who have proposed increases of 80Fcfa, because the problem of the increase is about 240 CFA francs. So we asked the government to divide it into three. And supporting these special measures, which has been done, surrender of wages and review of Smig.


“The union also alludes to the weaknesses of the government that trampled their proposals of uncapping social contributions of the CNPS. Compensation for retirement, which is indexed to 35 percent, is too much. We also asked the government to sit together, to see how to use the money given to the fuel subsidy for the creation of jobs for young people, but nothing was heard on that too.


“Beyond everything, all are vexed. Some speak of provocation and conspiracy in the place of the Cameroonian people while others speak of cowardice of the Cameroonian government."


Frank Hubert Ateba indexes makers have put the cart before the horse, because they did not measure the impact of their decision. "They eat Camanberg, caviar, they hardly consume cassava or cocoyam, so they cannot understand what it represents for us. And another incongruity, how can you believe that a plane lands in Nsimalen or a boat arrives at the port of Douala buys a litre of fuel for 350Fcfa and I, in my old car, I am obliged to buy the same litre for 650Fcfa?”


Yesterday morning, people took to social networking to illustrate perfectly what is happening on the streets of Yaoundé. It read, "I take the taxi all the time. As usual, I suggest 100 CFA francs. The guys almost slap me. So now you do not know the price of fuel has increased?"


One taxi driver, Alain, says customers used to offering 100 CFA will suffer. In some neighbourhoods where taxis are scarce tariffs have mounted to as much as 400 CFA for a distance which usually costs half that amount.