Domestic gas: Deceit and illegality on the market in the East

The marketing of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Lpg) in the town of Bertoua, capital of the Eastern Region, is now in the informal sector, with strength in the growing phenomenon of gas cylinders and not slurping respect of the sale price.

According to a field survey among consumers, there exists in this sector many problems. "I have two gas cylinders which are of different brands. There is Total and the other is Afrigaz, both weigh 12 kg and costing FCFA 7,500 respectively when they are filled with gas," says a trader in the city, he goes on by saying that "the price of these cylinders is even in the whole city."

For her part, a housewife in the same locality maintains that for her cylinder of 6kg, she pays the sum of FCFA 3,450 to purchase gas. All prices quoted above are inconsistent with the recommendations of the conciliation meeting between the leaders of the regional delegation of the Eastern Department of Trade and distributors of domestic gas in the city of Bertoua. Indeed, during the meeting held June 29, 2015, Leopold Essola Ava, the regional delegate had urged each other to respect scrupulously the price of domestic gas, according to a fee schedule that was distributed and brought to the knowledge of all.

According to this chart, the gas cylinder of 6 kg costs FCFA 3,120 instead of FCFA 3,450. Calculation fact, this housewife as most consumers of the city of Bertoua, even throughout the region, is robbed of the sum of FCFA 330. In the same vein, the cylinder of 12.5 kg gas costs the sum of FCFA 6,500 in the order made public by the Delegation of Commerce.

However, it is sold on the market at FCFA 7500 or more with FCFA 1000 added at times. Other varieties of cylinders, usually less used as the 15 kg and 18 kg respectively cost FCFA 7800 and FCFA 9360 in the chart. Although raided distribution centers show that the different prices shows respect to the chart, it is clear that consumers continue to pay higher prices.

Obviously, it seems that consumers are unaware of the prices issued by the fee schedule recommended by the regional delegation of trade in the East. It is obvious that if the prices are not respected in the town of Bertoua, this violation will be increased in the secondary cities of the East, in supply from Bertoua.

Note that outside of this deception on the price, the distribution of household gas in the East suffers another scourge. These are non-compliant gas warehouses. In a survey conducted a few months ago, these warehouses are built on the sidelines of the regulation that defines the standards of construction of liquefied gas storage or pressure classified Cs2.

"During our audit, we were well aware that the domestic gas distribution activity is not carried out within the standards, for example, cylinders of some companies do not always have secure protective covers," affirmed a worker at the regional delegation of the Ministry of Commerce in Bertoua.

In fact the official said, in Bertoua, outside major petroleum product distribution companies that have some regulatory compliance regarding storage of hazardous products, distributors called 'resellers' store and distribute domestic gas in highly dangerous conditions for the security of goods and people.

This is because, in all likelihood, the activity of sale of domestic gas, obviously very profitable, attracts many small investors. However, the control brigade in the regional delegation of the Eastern Commerce, under the auspices of its leader, Mr. Aboubakary is on the ground to control and repress fraud on eastern markets.