Market strikes paralyzes commercial activity in Douala

The strike of traders at major commercial areas in Douala, especially in Marché Central and Marché Congo bordering the district commercial in Akwa, is enormously crippling business activities.

The strike which started on a low key on Wednesday before it aggravated on Thursday was due to “The deterioration of security conditions and the arrest of the leaders of associations of traders by the security forces”, according to traders.

"This was to denounce and protest against insecurity and abuse from the authority of the urban community of Douala (CUD) which ordered the arrest of our leaders, so we have decided to put up a strike", indicated traders who gathered today Thursday October 9 at the Marche Central in Douala.

Sitting in front of their closed shops, these traders say they were determined to see to the end of their claims even if meant closing their shops for a month.

Aside the insecurity and arrest of the leaders of the traders association other factors also sparked the strike. It included the lack of lighting, the lack of fire hydrants in several compartments of the main building housing the Central market and assaults the traders faced.

The crisis meeting scheduled with the Douala urban community under the auspices of the prefecture of the Wouri (Douala) hopes to lead to a consensus.