CAMEROONIANS CRY FOUL OVER CHINESE PRODUCTS

Some Cameroonians have begun complaining that the country is increasingly becoming a dumping ground for Chinese low quality products.

They hold that, beside being detrimental to home industries, these products (cosmetics, electronics et al) last only for a while after which are littered around the environment making major metropolis in the country dirty and nasty.

According to a St. Louis student in Bamenda, Honorine Mbuh, Chinese products are very disappointing. “I almost missed a test last semester when a pair of slippers I bought just one week ago got cut when I was just about entering the campus but for the fact that there was a cobbler beside the school” Mbuh said.

Collaborating this, a UB student, Hilary Banlack, posit that he sees on a daily bases students, especially ladies, with cut sandals and slippers on campus, who most at time are left with no option than to board a taxi home and put on a different shoes (sometimes even missing some courses).

A dealer in second handed goods, Eveline Ditah, said she had to switch to second handed products because her customers were already complaining about the quality of the products she sold.

A Bamenda based cyber operator, Rene Bill, on his part indicated that the situation is even worse with electronics. “The products are bizarre; can you imagine that I bought a CD player and after using it for not up to a week, it refused reading any CD. And after moving from one repairer to another, almost using the amount I originally bought it for, I was left with no option but to throw it away?” Billa, pointed out adding that Chinese products in real sense are not as cheap as people think especially when you look it longevity, and cost of repair and or maintenance.

Another Cameroonian, who prefers anonymity, said Chinese products are very detrimental to home industries as many Cameroonians have deserted local products for cheap imported Chinese products.

Reacting to these, the Chief of Administration and Finance at the Northwest regional Delegation of trade, Michael Fru, Said the quality of the products are worth their prices.

“Chinese products are of different classes; you have the first class, second, third and so on. So they export different classes of products to different countries” Mr. Fru opined, adding that if Cameroonians want durable products, they should save money because no durable product is cheap.

Concerning the impact of the products on home industry, the administration and finance boss admitted that it has greatly been detrimental to home industries. He said it is high time the government reduced taxes levied on home industries or better still control the importation of such products so that home industries can be able to compete effectively.

The Pros of Chinese Products

It has been observed that Chinese products, despite the setbacks, have made live easy to the average Cameroonian and have at the same induce quick business turn over to Cameron business men.

According to a student in GBHS Bamenda, Florantine Tangunu, Chinese products are good in that with any small amount of money, you can buy for instance a pair of shoes or electronic and before it gets bad, you must have raised enough money for another one.

A Buea based business man, Immanuel Agbor, on his part said business is very lucrative with Chinese products because it is what many people come for given that it is affordable. He said he is able to take care of his family and even sponsor children in school because he deals in Chinese products.

Thus, many are of the opinion that Chinese products have rather bridge the gap between the rich and the poor and have as well reduced the rate of unemployment in the country.