Corruption engulfs Douala timber terminal

Corruption is rife at the timber terminal in the port of Douala as truckers are forced to succumb to bribes just to access the timber port.

It was a Saturday morning and the queue of carriers to the wood yard is growing gradually, their vehicles loaded with logs parked on the pavement as they fill out each file of “MINFI / MINFOF program of forestry revenue securing” applications.

But their ordeal doesn’t end at just paperwork. Each trucker takes care to conceal the ticket of 1,000 FCFA that has been added to their file in their briefcase.

Yaya, one of the carriers, says it is usually on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays they must add at least 1000 F to be served.

"We do not take money, we control compliance, that is to say, make sure that what is on the truck, is what is in the folder" defends an anonymous official who appeared a few moments later.

Another driver says the "MINFI / MINFOF program of forestry revenue securing" is one of the most corrupt items on the path to the timber terminal office.

"In this office, you are in good standing or not, you must give something to be released," he confirms.

There are five checkpoints to cross to the wood dock. The one that leads to the private area managed by the Operating Company lumber yards of Cameroon SEPBC seems to be better organized.

A table set up outside the office allows two agents to go about their business.

The first brings order to the holders of files and the second is responsible for affixing thereon a statement and stamps. Although one driver says they always give them something.

Not far away, a lumber carrier who has been waiting here two days to regain possession of his load asks a fellow driver what the general understanding was. “They want money,” he replied.

A secret meeting commences between both interlocutress and a young man returns to the room and emerges some time later with a stack of files that he hands over to the driver, who immediately starts smiling.

His truck starts with an almighty bang truck and he goes across to the space reserved for sawn timber.

Undue perception

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (Conac) calls "undue perception" the actions of the agents of the corridor leading to the timber terminal of the port of Douala.

Jean-paul Dargal, sociologist and project leader of domestic employment in the NGO Horizons Women, member of the platform "Fight against corruption, exchange Habit" initiated by Conac, says the proliferation of checkpoints spoof corruption.

He also denounced the "opacity in the procedure where the workflow timber is coined without invoice or ticket stub."

Those who engage in this practice seem to be ignoring one thing: the Penal Code punishes "with imprisonment of five to ten years and a fine from 200 000 to 2 million CFA francs, civil servant or public official who, for his himself or a third party, solicits or receives approved offers, promises, gifts or presents to refrain from doing an act or adjourn its function.”