Effa Tambenkongho
29 October 2009
The SCTM gas is rare in the most markets around the economic capital.
Consumers of the domestic gas distributed by the Cameroonian Company of Metallic Transformation, SCTM, are getting worried because the gas has become scarce in the markets. Some of the consumers are even insinuating that the scarcity will become more serious in the days and months ahead. A consumer told CT she had walked for days in search of the SCTM gas in New Bell, Bonapriso, among other neighbourhoods and everywhere she is told the gas is finished. "I even have plans to change my bottle from SCTM and pay more money to get an available bottle of gas", she said.
A wholesale trader in gas at New Bell said the last gas consignment he received was only 10 instead of the normal 50 bottles. "I was just told you should be happy to have had up to 10 bottles because others have had only three bottles", the vendor said. Talking to some wholesalers around Deido, one of them said it is true that SCTM is rare but the situation is not yet alarming. He said he believes the scarcity is coming from The Oil Refinery Company, SONARA, in Limbe. He added that he is sure some machines used to bottle gas are not working so the dealers can only get gas from SCDP although their supply cannot satisfy all of Douala. He added that in the past, they often had gas from SONARA and SCDP before ensuring supply to the entire town.
Another seller said he did not believe in the scarcity because every year between the months of October, November and December, dealers in SCTM gas always create scarcity so that they can sell at a higher prices later. He added that when demand is high, they will seller at a higher price thereby making more profits. He said they are hoarding to sell at higher prices when it is badly needed by the customers. "This explains why I have decided not to sell SCTM gas any more. Besides, I don't even have bottles to buy the gas", he said.
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