Accused of speculation, the local distributors of this fuel rather say the situation is caused by the hassles attempt by marketers to obtain supplies.

A place called “Carrefour le Maire”, last Monday, October 10, 2022. This is where one of the main domestic gas distributors in the city of Bafoussam is located. No sooner has he opened his business than the parade of gas cylinders from different marketers begins.

But each time, the response given to consumers is the same: “There is no gas, comeback later”. Far from having beginning this morning, this problem arosed for more than a month now.

“I have been going out every day with my bottle for two weeks in the hope of being able to stock up. I see that the gas is still not available”, informs an annoyed consumer.

“At the start, I understood that the problem only arises at the point where I usually get my supplies. After going around several points in the city, I find out that it was a general problem, ”he adds.

According to our sources, this shortage of domestic gas does not only affect Bafoussam but several other towns in the West Region. “In the city of Dschang, we no longer find gas. It’s been going on for a long time,” says a student from the University of Dschang.

Distributors Accused Of Speculation

According to Actu-Cameroon, for the time being, the authorities have not yet made any outings to explain this shortage. However, consumers and distributors have divergent opinions on this issue. The former accuses the latter of having created this shortage to carry out the illegal price increase.

“We are told that there is no gas, but when you arrive at certain places, you are asked for more money to serve you”, reveals a consumer. Our investigations confirmed this. A black market has indeed developed where this fuel is sold at exorbitant prices.

In the city of Dschang, for example, the price of a 12.5 kg bottle of gas now fluctuates between 8,000 and 10,000 FCFA, an increase sometimes exceeding 50% of the official price set by the authorities at 6,500 FCFA.

An almost similar observation was made in Bafoussam where the recent installation of a keg plant was not enough to avoid this unpleasant situation for consumers.

“When the gas that is infatuated here in Bafoussam arrives at my house, I do not sell it for less than 7,000 CFA francs. When it’s the others, it’s between 8,000 and 10,000 FCFA. I am making this increase because there’s too much hassle for you to be delivered. For the past two weeks, I have ordered 200 bottles, and they have barely delivered 10 to me after so much hassle,” discloses a gas distributor who requested anonymity.

If the latter was able to use other methods to be served, this is not the case for some of his colleagues. “For two months, when customers come, I send them back because I don’t have a precise idea of ​​when I will be delivered. For some time now, the marketers who deliver to me have not even picked up my calls”, complains “Père gaz” whose distribution point is located at a place called “Entrée de la Ville” in Bafoussam.