Socam decry 160 million FCFA of unpaid wages

Overall, the staff of Cameroonian society of musical art (Socam) estimated their wage arrears, from September 2008 to November 2014, at a net total of 160 million.

During a working meeting held September 2, 2014 and chaired by the Minister of Arts and Culture, their various concerns were raised. "By mutual agreement with the Minister Ama Tutu Muna, we agreed to consider for the first time the payment arrears of February 2013 to August 2014, compared with 769 61,400," explained the members of the staff.

An official at Minac, who took part during the said work under expressed in anonymity, clarified that "It was not a question for the Department to pay these uncollected instalments. The Minister suggested they simply consider this period and then seek the arbitration of the Prime Minister, because it is at about this time that the company experienced disturbances».

Socam staff says instead stated that Minac ordered that their wages be donated for the financial allocation to artists. They add that "since September 2008 date of their recruitment to Socam, the endogenous and exogenous operating difficulties and managerial deficit have never allowed that governing bodies honour their commitments to staff."

The Staff revealed that from September 2008 to January 2013, the cumulative amount of wages owed amounts to more than 80 million CFA FRANCS. It takes into account the arrears for the period February 2013 to August 2014, whose amount was reportedly jointly with Minac. And finally, to add 19 million CFA FRANCS representing wages from September to November 2014.

According to a member of the collective, a part of the arrears of wages by 2014 is taken into account for the simple reason that "the majority of us stopped working this year 2014, without being notified of a dismissal or a consignment on technical leave. So we are still formally members of Socam and our salaries are still counted.

According to employees, the amount of 80 million CFA FRANCS required can be settled in the current state of the finances of the company. "We believe the resources currently available cash amounts to about 400 million CFA FRANC at the Commission of mediation and control (Cpmc), which comes from fees paid by users.

"We remain convinced that the amount cash cover unequivocally the payment of these a few months that we are calling for. This statement was rejected by a member of the ad - hoc Socam Relief Committee. According to him "Socam has roughly 60 million cash. The large amount of money that was cash served as allocations, specifically that of last September."