Price Control and Fraud Repression agents begin visiting warehouses to ensure equitable distribution to the various sales points. The government through the Ministry of Trade has undertaken control measures to nib artificial scarcity of corrugated roofing sheets in the bud and to ensure that the few sheets in stock are equitably distributed to the sales points. This move follows the scarcity in the supply of the roofing sheets in the country, following an unexplained slump in production by producers; ALUCAM and
SOCATRAL. According to the National Chief of Brigade for Price Control and Repression of Fraud in the Ministry of Trade, Jean-Marie Nemi Nkolo, production slowed for a month as a result of the fact that producers were cleaning their machines. But that since they resumed production, 703 tonnes were produced between August 20 and September 3, 606 tonnes between September 7 and 13 and only 281 tonnes in the week of September 14. This arguably forced the few suppliers who had the commodity in stock to resort to black marketing, where the scarce commodity was sold to the highest bidder, above the homologated prices of FCFA 5400 for a three-metre sheet and FCFA 3600 for a two-metre sheet in Douala and Yaounde. Faced with this low production which entails crisis in the sector, the Minister of Trade convened stakeholders in the sector for a meeting last week during which they were to assess the situation, the causes as well as chart a way forward. But none showed up, forcing the Minister to issue a 72-hour ultimatum for them to either comply or face the music. The Control team led by Mr. Nemi Nkolo visited some warehouses like MDC, Nkolfulu, SODINES, Ngousso, Quincailier Emana and Quincailier Populaire on Wednesday September 30 to ensure that they were not hoarding sheets to feed fat on customers as well as to ensure an equitable distribution to the areas of demand. Various control teams were despatched to the various sales points to ensure that the homologated prices were respected to the letter. At press time, the Chief of Brigade said he had received news that his control teams had seized roofing sheets from unscrupulous business people at Etoudi who were selling at FCFA 6,500 per sheet. He said the ceased stock will be auctioned at the homologated prices.Godlove BAINKONG, CT
