Cameroonians queue for fuel as shortages hit the capital

Scenes like this of people lining up at gas stations in Cameroon's capital, jerrycans in hand are becoming commonplace.

Most fuel stations have run out of diesel in recent days and those that have are now rationing it.

"You line up for 4 hours, 5 hours, I've been here since 6 o'clock," said Nkeudeu, a transporter.

"There is already no fuel at other stations and where we find a little bit of petrol, we are told we can't fill our tanks," said Moffo Koumeni, a cab driver.

In the wake of scarce supplies of diesel, transporters have increased fares. Prices of goods too are shooting up.

"While the fuel shortage situation is becoming untenable for motorists in the city of Yaoundé and surrounding towns, experts believe that this is a way for the authorities to prepare Cameroonians for a possible increase in fuel prices", said our correspondent Joel Kouam in Yaounde.

On the international market, oil prices have soared and the state is finding it hard to continue subsidizing fuel.

"The lines you find in the gas stations is an impact. ... It is a psychological moment, it is necessary to prepare the Cameroonian citizen for an increase in prices", said Dr. Youmssi Bareja, an oil and mining expert.

Fuel subsidies cost the Cameroonian state over $1.2 billion a year and Yaounde has come under pressure from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to stop them.