A year more to the ban of sachet liquor

It has been a year since a joint decree signed by three members of the government banned the production, marketing and consumption of packaged whiskey bags and cans in Cameroon.

However, another year has been granted for sellers to empty their stock of raw materials, to save their business. Until the end of the second year reprieve, it will be disclosed if the consumption and trade of whiskey bags is doing more or less harm.

"We have not felt a change in the market. We always buy the same quantities and are sold almost at the same pace," said a trader in Mvog-Atangana Mballa market in Yaoundé.

"Here, all the street vendors sell whiskey bags. Even after September 2016, we will always drink according to each individual's ability," said a consumer who was half drunk.

His comrades argued that it is these small bags that give them the courage and push to work hard every day. Among producers, the subject still makes them visibly angry. Moreover, "we continue to condemn the ministerial decision, including the two-year reprieve considered too short to absorb loads. We invested in the purchase of large equipment and a few days later, the government suspends the business when we had barely begun to use these machines."

"It'll be hard to retrain in a year," lamented a businessman reached by telephone. Nevertheless, all say they are corporate citizens and therefore, "when the time comes, if the administration does not give us another reprieve, we'll simply comply with the risk of getting out of business for some."

For consumer associations, it is keeping watch. This is because "we were already with the two-year reprieve. There is a standard whiskey which is good for consumption."

"Consumption and production, unfortunately continues in the industry, despite the complicity of controllers," added Delor Magellan Kamgaing Kamseu, president of the National League of consumers of Cameroon.

He believes that "producers are now fighting to get an extension of the stay to continue killing Cameroonians. One sachet of whiskey bought at FCFA 100 has 33% of alcohol which is the equivalent of an entire locker of beers."