Buea: Building Materials’ Prices On Steady Increase

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Buea: Building Materials’ Prices On Steady Increase

02 mars 2022 18:25

Many customers are now stranded and sellers complained that they buy above the homologated prices set by the State.

A tour in some building hardware shops in Buea by Cameroon Business Today showed prices of building materials are on a steady increase. On February 28, 2022, a 50 kg Dangote cement cost FCFA 5 200 and aluminium zinc of three metres sold at FCFA 6 950. The different prices of iron rods in the market have also soared. Iron rod 6 is FCFA 1 650, rod 8 is FCFA 3 100, rod 10 is FCFA 4 700 and rod 12 is FCFA 6 700. But in September 2021, a 50 kg Dangote cement sold at FCFA 4 800, giving an increase of FCFA 400 within few months. A three metre aluminium zinc sold at FCFA 6 200. Iron rod six was FCFA 1 500, rod eight was FCFA 2 800, rod 10 was FCFA 4 450 and rod 12 sold at FCFA 6 450. But a homologated price list of building materials posted in one building materials shop in Bakweri Town Buea signed on June 16, 2021 by the South West Regional Brigade for Control and Repression of Fraud of the Ministry of Trade has lower prices. Dangote cement for instance is supposed to sell at FCFA 4 600. There is therefore a marked difference of FCFA 600 between homologated prices and actual cost in the market. Iron rod 6 is FCFA 1 600, rod 8 is FCFA 3 000, iron rod 10 is FCFA 4 500 and rod 12 is FCFA 6 600.

The traders acknowledged that they are selling above the homologated prices. Tijou Fidelis, Buea Manager of Labata Enterprise justified using the price hike of cement. “Dangote cement is sold to us at FCFA 5100 and we ...