Tongues have been wagging in Bamenda as to why despite the increase in prices of basic commodities, promotional sales are not being organized across the North West Region.
In the days of Cletus Anye Matoya, then Regional Delegate of Trade, it was a monthly occurrence at the Bamenda Congress hall for buyers to afford goods of basic necessity at reduced prices.
This was organised together with the promotional sales agency, MIRAP.
The magic one, Cletus Anye Matoya
During the back-to-school days, MIRAP and the Delegation of Trade took the promotional sale of books and other didactic materials to the Divisions to encourage pupils and students to go back to school while assisting parents and low income earners.
In December 2018, Cletus Anye Matoya was appointed General Manager of MIDENO ( North West Development Authority) and since his departure, Bamenda is still to see one promotional sale.
In recent weeks, the price of cooking gas tripled same like vegetable oil and while in regions like the South West, the Delegation of Trade has come to the aid of its people, the North West is in a limbo.
In a report published in the Guardian Post in August, Bamenda is the most expensive city to live in Cameroon. Every retailer now determines their price. The once welcoming town with very affordable prices has today become the worst.
Price control officials find it difficult to force wholesalers to respect the accepted prices of goods and hang this on the six year old Anglophone crisis that has been rocking the North West and South West Regions.
Matoya Decorated last May
Even efforts of the Bamenda City Council to sell good of basic necessity at half the price, could not live beyond 90 days.
Cooking gas still sells in Bamenda at 13000 Francs, up from 6600 Frs, despite the huge importation into the country last week.
The common man today is caught between two crises. The Anglophone crisis and the price hike crisis.
As we move towards the end of year festivities, the time of the year where there is usually artificial scarcity, the people of the North West just wish that urgent measures can be taken to ensure they live the remainder of the year in one piece.
This will mean having someone who can feel the pain of the masses and act accordingly.
The North West needs Matoya at the Delegation of Trade or simply, the Delegation of Trade should apply the Matoryah formula.
By
Ndi Tsembom Elvis
0 Comments