The National Union of Bar Owners, known by its French acronym as SYNEDEBOC, is reportedly mobilising its members to observe what it calls "ghost bars" in the wake of renewed arrangements to increase beer prices.

Officials of the Union, which consists of about 300,000 bar owners across the country, said they are irked by a series of abuses including the selling of beer to the public by beer outfits, high prices of empty bottles, harassment by tax and council officials, the putting up of advert papers on walls and tables for free by brewery companies, among others.

At a recent annual general assembly at the Chambers of Agriculture in Yaounde, its National President, Roger Tapa, warned of a sit-in strike action, saying that hikes in the prices of beer and empty beer bottles have been the sole decision of Guinness and Brasseries du Cameroun, SABC.

The Post learnt that the bar owners would effect the strike action should the foreseen price hikes by the two brewery companies go into effect as earlier announced.It filtered from the assembly that SABC and Guinness had timetabled October 2008 and January 2009 for the new prices of their drinks to take effect.

"The products used by the companies to make beer and sweet drinks are still very much in stock and were bought three years ago. They should not complain of petroleum price hikes when beer products were bought three years before fuel prices rose," Tapa lamented.

Some bar owners at the assembly said until now, they could pay FCFA 150 for an empty beer bottle. It was alleged that despite meetings between government authorities and officials of the companies to lower the price to as little as FCFA 60 per empty bottle so that a bottle is given freely when beer is bought, SABC foiled the arrangement by inducing government authorities to give them a deaf ear.

Tapa said the Union is a force to reckon with, considering that the close to 300.000 bars existing in the country is capable of paralysing the economy given the taxes they pay to the coffers of the state and council.

In Bamenda, The Post learnt, arrangements are being made to arrest anybody in possession of an empty beer bottle which has not been paid for.To Frederick Mukong, Northwest Branch President, buyers will have to deposit FCFA 200 for a bottle when buying beer to be consumed off bars.

The Union members justified reasons for the action saying that in a week about 100 bottles are broken by customers who don't pay for but proprietors bare the financial burden as brewery outfits would not supply them drinks if they don't provide bottles.