Editorial: Fuel price increase; Gov't, transporters have their way, masses bear brunt.

But speaking on Vision 4 television after that explanation, opposition Member of Parliament, MP, Hon Cabral Libii, was critical of the hike. 

“This increase in the price of fuel amounts to telling Cameroonians that they must finance the cruelty of the government...Cameroonians must draw conclusions from this increase in the price of fuel. It’s one cruel act too many,” the lawmaker had said.

There is no doubt that within public opinion, the increase in the price of fuel is causing people to cringe. 

Government is accused of not having taken into account the suffering of Cameroonians due to the astronomical rise in cost of basic commodities.

As if in agreement with the opposition politician and the public, transporters did not see their dice in the jigsaw of the fuel price increase, which repercussions affect practically all sectors of daily life.

Without waiting for the announced negotiations with government authorities, some unscrupulous transporters had unilaterally imposed an increase in the price of their services.

A statement signed by the Minister of Trade and endorsed by the Prime Minister, Head of Government, raises the fare of a taxi ride from 300 to 350 FCFA during the day and 350 to 400 FCFA at night. On interurban lines, the fare per kilometer increases from 14 to 16 FCFA.

The government fiat points out that the tariff applicable to pupils, students and physically challenged adults is set at 300 FCFA during the day and 350 FCFA at night

For inter-urban transport by coach, the fare for children aged 00 to 7, is free while those aged 8 to 10 is 8 FCFA per and the same for physically challenged adults.

The Guardian Post understands that the agreement was arrived at after a series of meetings with transport trade unionists and the Ministers of Transport, Trade and Labour and Social Security.

There is no question that the increase, which benefits transporters, just as that of fuel prices was to the advantage of the government; it is the population that will bear the excruciating impact on their slim purses.

To cushion the impact, government has had discussions with employers and increased the minimum wage to 43,969 FCFA. Trade unionists were actually demanding that it be hiked to 100,000 FCFA, which investors in the private sector who employ the vast majority of Cameroonians are unlikely to concede. 

That may explain why after the agreement to increase fare as dictated by unions was reached, not even one of the three ministers could comment to the press.

There is no question that after a plethora of meetings with members of government, the Cameroon Workers' Forum, which brings together 11 union confederations dangling threats of a strike, the government caved in to their advantage.

In a synopsis, after those 'constructive discussions', as based on instructions from the Head of State, transport fares have been hiked to profit transporters. 

When compared to the 15 percent rise in fuel prices, 5 percent increase in civil servants' salaries and the 43,969 minimum wage, no one is left in doubt that transporters have had their way.

Government too is having windfall revenue from the increase of fuel prices while the suffering and gullible citizens are bearing the brunt.

In taking the throbbing austerity measure, President Biya said in his end-of-year address that subsidies weigh much on public finances and savings from the fuel hikes will "provide resources to invest for the benefit of the well-being of populations".

For The Guardian Post, the increase in fuel prices, which has political and economic ramifications, can only make sense if the money is invested in infrastructure and social amenities that give the masses a feel-good effect.

Such amenities and infrastructure should be felt in the electricity, water, roads, health, and education sectors. In all the five paramount sectors that form the nexus of development, Cameroon is lagging behind by every standard.

The Guardian Post hopes that by next year when another price increase is likely to be announced, government should be able to tell Cameroonians the concrete benefits derived from the increase in fuel prices in those five sectors, especially in a country that produces and exports high quality crude oil.