The energy crisis Cameroon is experiencing has cost the national economy more than 1,000 billion FCFA between 2002 and 2012, an energy expert has said.
According to Kameni Djouteu, a consultant on energy issues, “the unreliable supply of electricity causes a lot of losses to the national economy, namely industries, households, and offices”.
He said: “From the 2002 energy crisis until 2012, Cameroon recorded losses of over 1,000 billion FCFA, or one-third of the country’s current budget. “
This means “the price to be paid for an hour-long power cut in Bonaberie, where nearly 1.5 million people live and where more than 100 industries are located, is very high”.
Djouteu said “a baker’s shop situated in Akwa, a commercial centre in Douala, loses around 500,000 FCFA per day in the event of a power cut and needs a 100,000 FCFA worth of fuel for its generator. The same goes for a sawmill located in the industrial zone which records nearly 400,000 FCFA loss during power cuts”.
The situation is worse in fish shops where rotten products are destroyed.
