Books, other goods allegedly locked at the Douala Port

Parents have been finding it difficult to procure certain books for their kids in primary or secondary schools following a scarcity in the market which publishers have blamed on an apparent break down of the cargo crane at the Douala Port.

Some primary school books published by the Cosmos Educational Press, some by ANUCAM and Cambridge, The Post learned, have not been found on the book shelves of most bookshops.

At the AIMBOOK SHOP in Limbe, Basic English for primary two, published by Cosmos, is not available. The bookshop operators told The Post on Friday, September 12, that they have been told by the publisher that the books, which are printed in India and Dubai, owing to the high cost of printing in Cameroon, were being held up at the Douala Port.

When The Post visited the Cosmos Head Office at Cité SIC quarters in Limbe on Saturday, September 13, a staffer of the place acknowledged the absence of “some” of their books. She said a huge consignment of their books have been floundering inside the ship at the Douala Port since June, this year.

Asked if Cosmos has not complied with the payments of their dues or what was the matter, she replied; “We have paid every franc. It is the Government that can best tell why.”

The Post, by phone, contacted one of the Communication officials of The Douala Ports Authority, Zibi Ebanga, and he refuted the claims of the bookshop owners. He said he could not tell because there were people or importers who were getting their goods out of the port.

He added that probably the importers of these books have not yet met up the conditions for paying of duties or their goods were still zigzagging through the Port’s ship off loading, scanning, documentation and removal procedures.

While the print-in-India publishers go haggling with the Port on how and when to get their cargo out, it is certain that some thousands of pupils and students in Cameroon will have to continue their studies this academic year, maybe for some time to come, without text books.