Food Prices Rise Sharply in Kumba Due to Shortage
-There is fear of famine on the horizon
By Doh Bertrand Nua in Kumba
 |
| Chamberlain Ntou’ou Ndong |
The SDO for Meme has raised an alarm about the shortage
of food supply and an acute increase in the prices of basic food items and
other necessities in Kumba.
Chamberlain
Ntou’ou Ndong made the observation during a meeting he chaired at his office on
Friday 22 June 2018. The meeting brought
together municipal authorities in Kumba, heads of security services,
representatives of traders associations, market managers, butchers and the
Delegates of Livestock and that of Trade and Commerce among several
others.
The SDO
declared that if nothing is done with immediate effect, Kumba risk being hit by
famine as the constant road blocks, harassment, kidnappings, arson on trucks,
seizure of goods and extortion of huge sums from business persons by the
‘Ambazonia’ forces has forced many farmers and importers to suspend their
activities.
“Innocent
business persons are harassed by the ‘Ambazonia’ boys thereby causing untold
suffering. About 20 trucks carrying food and other goods have been burnt along
the Kumba-Buea highway. One tomato now sells at 100frs in Kumba; domestic gas
sells at 15 000frs instead of 6700frs; there is scarcity of petrol and
gasoline; a 50 kilogram of rice now sells at 25 000frs up from 14.000frs etc
etc,” the SDO observed, calling on all to collaborate with the security forces
to fish out suspected ‘Amba’’ elements from neighborhoods.
He reassured
the population of adequate measures to be put in place to curb the food
shortage.
“We will
not sit and fold our arms; we will do our best to make sure food gets to Kumba
markets despite the security difficulties we are facing. We have received many
complaints about inappropriate security that hinders transportation of goods to
Kumba.”
The SDO
as well called on all those who have taken up arms against the state to kindly
report themselves with same to the administrators promising they won’t be arrested.
“It is
time for me like the father of the Division to advice the youths especially
those who are using guns to kill innocent people, burn trucks of innocent
people to resign from such activities and hand their weapons to the state and
start a new life,” Ntou’ou Ndong beckoned, noting that most youths have
resorted to violence because of the heavy consumption of drugs.
The Meme
boss as well saluted the move taken by majority of the churches in the phase of
the ongoing crisis; praying for the return of peace in the whole Division
adding that they shouldn’t relent on their efforts in advising the youths.
On their
part, the Government Delegate to the Kumba City Council, the Mayors of Kumba I,
II and III all called for improvement in security that will guarantee the
safety of business persons and their goods. They suggested that security forces
should escort vehicles carrying goods to and from Kumba and other entry points.
The
Divisional Delegates of Livestock and that of Commerce all proposed ways of
handling the cut-throat prices imposed on goods by businessmen. A businessman
noted that his trucks carrying 900 bags of rice were burnt along the road,
while cattle dealers revealed seven cows were seized and one herdsman
kidnapped.
It
should be noted that similar reports about shortage and scarcity of basic food
items have been reported in Bamenda, Mamfe, Ekondo-Titi and several other towns
in NW and SW.
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