26, June 2018
Douala: Tenants face soaring rents under ‘pay-in-advance-to stay’ policy 0
Getting an accommodation in Cameroon’s Douala city is a nightmare, as one is required to pay 6 months or even a year’s rent advance. As a result, many young working people who are faced with this harsh reality, prefer to stay longer with their parents.
Socrate Tanleu is a tenant and is frustrated by this practice.
“For example, I have had to pay up to 12 months to get an apartment and for a young person who is just entering the workforce, it is not easy to find 12 months to pay a landlord to get an apartment’‘, Tanleu told Africanews.
The practice is illegal, but many apartment owners are defiant.
“Legally, this practice is not normal because rent is payable after occupation. The rent advance is not legal”, said Cameroonian-based lawyer, Nicolas Ntamag.
But for many homeowners, this practice is a safety net against an unstable labour market.
Bertrand Tashinda owns an apartment in Douala.
“We have the public sector which employs very few people and with the private sector, there is no guarantee of employment. At any time you can lose your job for more misleading reasons than any other. So it makes the landlords think it’s better to take a year and with a year he can even build up a little reserve of money to be able to repair his apartment if necessary”, said Tashinda.
Like Ivory coast, Cameroon wants to put in place a more advanced legal framework for tenants and property owners.
The country plans to limit payment of rent advance and the deposit to two months. It hopes this will facilitate access to housing for many Cameroonians.
Source: Africa News
29, June 2018
Anglophone Power: Cameroon Airlines returns to Lagos-Douala route 0
Cameroon Airlines Corporation (Camair-Co) has resumed flight between Douala and Lagos after some years of absence from the route. At the welcoming ceremony at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, the Consul General of Cameroon in Lagos, Dr Ekorong A. Dong expressed delight to see Camair-Co back to the economic route of Douala-Lagos saying:“Today we are witnessing together a new benchmark, a new landmark between Nigeria and Cameroon.”
Speaking at the event, Nigeria’s Country Manager for the airline, Madam Agnes Ndikum who reinstated the determination of the airline to continuously serve the Lagos-Doula route, declared: “Let me state here that Camair-Co is finally here to stay and provide quality air travel between Nigeria and Cameroon. We appreciate the efforts of APG Nigeria, our General Sales Agent (GSA) for their continuous support in making this relaunch of the Lagos-Doula route a reality”.
Also speaking at the event, the pilot in charge of the flight, Captain Kono Bihina Constant while expressing his delight to return to Nigeria after a long while remarked: “We haven’t flown into Nigeria for a long time. Nigeria is so advance when it comes to aviation, and we are very pleased to be back here. Camair-Co is working so hard round the clock to ensure travellers rely on our airline and not to go elsewhere.”
Source: Nigerian Tribune