Cooking Gas Shortage Hits Cameroon as Red Bottle Supply Faces Challenges
A shortage of cooking gas is being reported in several parts of Cameroon, with residents in Yaoundé and other major cities struggling to find supplies.
In Yaoundé, residents in areas including Biyem-Assi, Mendong, Melen, Emana, Etoudi and Nkolbisson have reportedly been moving from one depot to another in search of cooking gas.
Similar difficulties have also been reported in Douala, Buea, Bamenda and other parts of the country, raising concerns over the availability and distribution of the essential household commodity. Some households are reportedly being forced to return to firewood and charcoal as alternatives, even in urban communities.
The situation has prompted questions over the supply chain, with attention turning to the Ministry of Water and Energy (MINEE), the government department responsible for the energy sector.
South West Trade Delegate Explains Red Bottle SituationThe South West Regional Delegate of Trade and Commerce, Binane Abanda, has attributed part of the current difficulty to challenges affecting the company supplying the red gas bottles.
“For now, the company behind the red bottles is experiencing some difficulties and is currently down. The only solution for people using the red bottles is to exchange them for another type of bottle,” Abanda said.
His remarks suggest that consumers using the affected red bottles may need to exchange them for other available bottles in order to obtain cooking gas.
However, it remains unclear to what extent the difficulties affecting the red-bottle company are contributing to the wider shortage reported across the country. The shortage has led to long queues at some gas outlets, with residents spending hours searching for supplies.
Some households have reportedly turned to firewood and charcoal as alternatives.Consumers are now looking to MINEE and other stakeholders in the supply chain for clarity on the cause of the shortage and measures to restore regular supplies.
