Fuel price hike:

Gov’t sacrifices masses to please transporters 

Decrees 25% taxi fare increase

By Amindeh Blaise Atabong in Yaounde
 

Intra-urban transport fares have been increased from 200 FCFA to 250FCFA for day time pick up and from 250FCFA to 300FCFA at night. The decision to increase taxi fares is contained in a ministerial order of Wednesday July 9, 2014, signed by the minister of trade, Luc Magloire Marga Atangana.

Taxi now playing at higher fares

The gesture to increase taxi levies, comes after agitations by various transport syndicates following the increase in fuel prices. According to some taxi trade unionists, the move is to enable them borne the additional cost of fuel and to respond to the impending hike in prices of basic commodities.

Henceforth, taxi users across towns in Cameroon will experience an additional 50FCFA per drop of taxi. However, the minister’s communiqué indicates that certain drops may be negotiated between the cab driver and the passenger.

Wednesday’s decision to increase taxi fares falls in line with government’s action to mitigate the recent increment in fuel prices and to appease taxi transport unionists who were already spoiling for an industrial strike action.

However, many have viewed the increase in taxi fares as an attempt to appease taxi drivers who can easily go ‘violent’ at the detriment of the masses who will inadvertently incur the burden of the fuel price increase.

Some economic analysts on their part have argued that the fuel price hikes have instigated an alarming rise in inter-urban transport fares. As early as last week, passengers travelling from Buea to Yaounde were paying 5000FCFA instead of 4000FCFA, while their counterparts from Bamenda to Yaounde spend 6000FCFA, up from 5000FCFA The Guardian Post learnt. Meanwhile, the minister of finance, Allamine Ousman Mey, yesterday criticised the unofficial increase in transport fares by some inter-urban transporters, sustaining that such a move is illegal. Yet, the government has so far remained mute over the matter.                                                        

It is feared that the transport increase will have a resulting effect on basic commodities, especially farm-to-market products.