Restive Biya ban porch cars for Ministers as salary cuts, heavy taxes looms

Cameroon’s octogenarian President, Paul Biya, has outlawed the purchase of porch cars for officials of his bloated Government as salary cuts and heavy taxes looms over Cameroonians.

Biya’s embargo is contained in a recent presidential fiat, which gives orientation on the 2018 draft budget.

The presidential fiat is not unconnected to the activities of some Government predators, who have fashioned an administrative racket in which very expensive cars are bought every year.

The purchase of such cars, are not informed by the necessity of service or need, but by individual gains.

Going by recent statistics, Government officials in Cameroon bought over 14,000 administrative vehicles in 2015, but such cars were bought without the approval of the Prime Minister, Philemon Yang, as prescribed by the law.

Form the findings gnarled by Cameroon Concord, some top Government officials have about four to five very expensive service cars for themselves, but paradoxically, their ministries or institutions lack vehicles to perform their task.

Despite a well stipulated law that a car in a Government institution is supposed to be used for at least five years, some Government officials have made it a norm to buy cars every year and auction the old ones to themselves.

Besides the abusive buying of such cars, which the officials misuse, the cars also inflict an additional financial scare on the Government in terms of maintenance.

It is based on this financial burden on the State that President Biya has prohibited the reckless purchase of porch cars, especially at when there is looming rumours about a possible devaluation of the Francs CFA that will possibly lead to salary cuts and increase in taxation.