29/03/2024
๐๐ซ๐จ๐๐ข๐ญ๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐จ๐จ๐ง.
(profiteering is the practice of making or seeking to make an excessive or unfair profit, especially illegally or in a black market. )
Someone tagged me on the attached picture and it sparked something in me.
Do you know why the regime adds prices of basic commodities with impunity?
Because we Cameroonians are too greedy and the government has understood this, the government knows that they can steal from us as much as they want because all we will do is steal from ourselves.
When I came home from Rwanda, was planning a campaign to attack MTN CAMEROON from many fronts including media houses etc because MTN rates are at least 5 times more expensive in Cameroon as compared to Rwanda.
However, I had to delete that post when on Womenโs day, after the Nganou fight, I decided to withdraw momo and have a good night, can you imagine that apart from the normal momo withdrawal charge, the guy was charging 350 frs extra ? I accepted in desperation.
The other day I wanted to withdraw 9k from momo and all the agents at the junction told me Iโll have to either possess 1k change so that they can give me a 10k note or theyโll give me 9k and I transfer them 9100frs meaning I buy the change for 100frs.
Next day I took a bike for 200frs, the man insisted 250frs I told him I only have 200frs cash or 250frs momo, he opted for the momo and when we got to my destination he said I should send the 250frs + charges.๐คฆ๐พโโ๏ธ
The other day I accompanied someone to Mโvog Betsi market and I overheard an anglophone trader saying and I quote โI prefer when things are expensive, see now price for tomatoes d**g reduce see as the tomatoes stand, better ei dear make man di sell fineโ.
Still in the same market, we wanted two kilos of rice, the trader told us that a kilo costs 700frs, I said wow, finally things are being sold in kilos what a great development, when I told him to give me two kilos, he just measured two scoops of rice in a bowl and poured in a plastic bag and was about giving me when I asked him how do I know each of that bowl is 1 kilogram ?
He pointed to me where it was written on the bowl that โ1 literโ, I then asked him if every 1 liter is equivalent to 1kg ?
Well just for your knowledge;
uncooked rice = 0.89 kilograms/liter
steamed rice = 0.68 kilograms/liter
You now realize 1L of rice can never be 1kg, well the man bullied me out of his store.
Cameroonians have failed to see momo as a way of simplifying transactions, they rather think it is a way of making additional cash, with the above examples given and which I can give at least 100 other examples in the last month, do you think the government cares about price control?
You collect electricity bills of 5000frs from ENEO, share pieces of papers worth 13000frs to your tenants, a house you built 10 years ago, you add rents last month because of the recent hike in cement prices, how can you justify that ?
One thing I noticed, Iโve never heard price reduction notices in Cameroon, only price increments, in Rwanda (ask those whoโve been there), every 2-3 months when parliament meets, they give an updated price of basic commodities like rice, sugar and especially Potatoes and everyone respects the prices.
Only you and I can fix Cameroon, it has been proven Cameroon can only fix in a bottom to top approach, as we keep spoiling it daily we will only continue complaining.
You reading this post, make it a habit to change at least one habit especially concerning profiteering weekly, we can fix this country as individuals.
Allen.