Managers and owners of filling stations in and around Buea are becoming more and more frustrated with infiltration of contraband fuel commonly called ‘funge’ or ‘zoazoa’, that has drifted away the attention of most of their customers due to its affordable nature. Some of these stations are already threatening to shut down if no urgent measures are taken to reverse the status quo.
Shancho Ndimuh & Joyce Mbong
Managers of some filling stations in Buea say since the advent of this contraband fuel from Nigeria, they have witnessed over 70% drop in their daily sales. “Before now we used to sell over FCFA1million in one shift from 7am to 4pm but now it is only by the special grace of God that we can boast of FCFA 300,000. We are really praying that the government should do something,” the Manager of one filling station around Mile 18 Buea, who preferred anonymity, lamented.
At another filling station at the Mile 17 motor park, where these reporters stood for over 30 minutes and only one truck turned out to refill. Here, the frustration is even more perennial.
“Please come and stand here and see the situation for yourself. Since you came here how many vehicles have turned out here to refill? The coming of this ‘funge’ has made business very difficult for us. We sell almost nothing, the government needs to double her efforts in addressing this situation. I have already laid off some staff while others already resigned by themselves to engage in the sale of ‘funge’, which they say is more lucrative than what we pay them” the Manager of a filling station at the Mile 17 Motor Park, who spoke off the record, narrated his ordeal.
He attributed the drastic drop in the number of customers to the relatively cheap nature of the fuel. “Everyone now consumes ‘funge’ because it is cheaper than ours; a litre costs FCFA 500 while ours is FCFA 650,” he added. The manager attributed the low cost of the contraband fuel to the fact that unlike them, dealers do not pay rent, taxes, workers, utility bills and others.
Taxi and bus drivers contacted at the Mile 17 motor park said they have been witnessing an increase in financial returns since they resorted to ‘funge’.
“ Funge’ is cheaper than Super. For instance I now buy 60 litres of funge’eh at FCFA 30,000; the same quantity of super, which I used to buy for FCFA 39,000. So I save at least FCFA 9000 each time I top the tank of my bus with funge’,” a bus driver, who gave his only name as Tabbot, quipped. This view was shared by all other drivers contacted around the Mile 17 Motor Park in Buea.
These drivers dismissed claims that the contraband fuel can be detrimental to the car engine.
“At first, I was scared that funge’eh will destroy the engine of my car as many purported, but several months after, nothing has happened to my car. Besides, it is the same fuel Nigeria has been using for centuries now,” Erich Nchatue, A Buea based Taxi driver said.
He added that even filling stations have resorted to selling ‘funge’.
“I used to buy from filling stations but when I discovered that most filling stations also sell funge’,. I stopped. The scent of funge’ and what is now sold at the filling station is more or less the same,” the taxi driver stated.
Reacting to this, the Manager of one of the filling stations in Buea, speaking off record, said some time ago, when SONARA stopped supplying fuel to carry out maintenance, she invited another supplier who sold fuel to them with an offensive aura. This according to him, made many drivers to conclude that it was funge’, and thus immediately switched to the consumption of Funge’eh.
Though not normally placed by the road sides for fear of clashing with the forces of law and order, most drivers know exactly where to get this contraband fuel at any time. Some drivers hinted the GV that there are communication signs, which has been understood by all drivers using funge’. Some retailers either tie a piece of cloth to a stick by a road, or place a small container either with water or even empty by the road side.
It is believed that this illegal fuel comes from Nigeria and passes through the borders in to Cameroon under the eyes of custom officials. Others claim that it is commonly sold in Wovia where some individuals and filling stations tankers come and buy and sell in filling stations and quarters.
In a chat with some of the suppliers recently, they hinted that the network is large with some forces of law and order as accomplices. One of the main suppliers of ‘funge’ to Tiko and Douala, who refused to be named, disclosed that he buys from Botaland in Limbe.
Quizzed on how the contraband product gets to the country’s economic capital with all the security checks on the way, he said security men in all check points between Limbe and Tiko already know their car. So all he does, is “settle them” each time at each check point. He noted that those in Douala have no idea that their car carries such product. So no effective checks are made on their car when it gets into Douala.
Another supplier, whose only name was got as Richard disclosed to the Green Vision that he pays FCFA 2000 to the custom officer per 100Littre of funge’ imported.
Government’s effort observed so far, is more or less limited to the arrest/detention of dealers and the impoundment of discovered funge’eh. To cope with the status quo, it is incumbent on the government to either reduce fuel prices or tighten security at the borders to ensure that this fuel doesn’t enter in to the country while corrupt officials are tracked down and brought to justice.
