New domestic gas cylinders in circulation

With the extraction of non-compliant gas cylinders, marketers recently disclosed that they have imported new packaging but retailers still complain of its scarcity.

Domestic gas cylinders are not manufactured in Cameroon. For some time now, "the Cameroonian Society of Metallurgical Transformation (SCTM) manufactured quite a number but with the increase in the price of steel, the main raw material imported from Europe, all marketers found it cheaper to directly import the already manufactured cylinders.

“The SCTM had to stop production and instead purchase the cylinders,” says an official of the Ministry of water and energy (Minee). However at the moment, the authorization to import domestic gas cylinders eventually poses as an insecurity problem. Because at one time, cylinders which did not conform to the Cameroonian regulations invaded the market, posing risks to consumers.

An awareness campaign and removal of non-compliant packaging with consistent results had been launched about a year ago by the Ministry of water and energy (Minee). Thousands of cylinders were taken out of the market; a situation that unfortunately aggravated the problem of scarcity of cylinders that had existed for a few years.

In Yaoundé, some wholesalers and retailers of domestic gas constantly complained of shortages. "We want to buy more gas but without cylinders, it's impossible," one of the retailers based in the Biyem-Assi district lamented.

At Mendong, a wholesaler noted that shortages started less than a month ago, with the acquisition of new cylinders by marketers which are clearly visible in this repository. Indeed, the Minee -led re-organisation measure has forced some marketers to import new cylinders.

«For Camgaz who was primarily responsible for non-conforming cylinders, turnover had fallen from 24 to 17% after withdrawals. They were obliged to invest in new cylinders and since then, its market share increased to 19% in a short period," noted Minee.

It was impossible for the marketers to deliberate on the subject among themselves. We know however that they have an obligation to produce cylinders since they cannot sell the gas without the cylinders. "

The State shall assist them, for example, by subsidizing trade in household gas to encourage consumption," noted our source at Minee.