Traders face change difficulties due to shortage of coins

As a result of the shortage of coins many traders are facing change issues after serving their customers.

"Niki, looks for coins: 25, 50, 100 F, this is the inscription on a poster displayed in some Niki magazines in Yaoundé including Mvog-Mbi and the central market. In these stores, it has become difficult at their counters to give change to customers after purchases because coins have become very rare ", says a seller at this commercial space. He added that this situation greatly influences their trade to the extent that some clients prefer to stop purchase because of this.

"We lose many customers and for this reason, we have placed these posters so that those who have the coins can sell them us for a percentage gain to them", says one of the vendors in this wholesale store at the central market in Yaoundé. "One wonders if the Beac does not produce these coins. We don't know what is happening," she added.

This difficulty is also experienced by call-box operators, street vendors, taxi drivers, kiosks and bar operators. "I am often forced go about some times to find coins from my colleagues and small merchants for work" notes Maurice Kanou, taxi driver. "Every night, I go to puff-puff sellers and plead with then to change me 10,000 F because in service stations, the service is no longer free", a seller in a kiosk revealed.

Faced with this phenomenon, traders are trying to multiply tips to facilitate their Exchange. "We pass commands in service stations through a percentage," said a store manager. "The percentage demanded is huge, but we are obliged to do so in order to maintain our customer", a the Lady remarked. In bars, the managers record on paper the amount owed to the customers to enable them to recover it later on presentation of the paper.

"I took the pain to cut small papers to note balance I owe to my customers to enable them to recover their refund anytime when the currency is available. But this does not work out with those who do not live in the district and so we are forced to go around the other shopping area to find change", concludes Adibeyi, Manager of a bar.