Civil Society Decries Violation of Consumers Rights by MTN Cameroon

 By Ron Muchop

The Cameroon National Federation of Trade and Services Trade Unions-FESCOSCAM, The National Movement for Reorganization of Economic and Productive Sector in Cameroon-NAMOREPS,  have decried the “ non respect of sovereignty  and judiciary, violation of consumers rights” by MTN Cameroon.

In a briefing on October 8, 2012 in Bamenda, the Coordinator of FESCOSCAM Boris Bonifce Mbah revealed that as from October 15, 2012 the civil society will stage series of actions to decry the nonchalant attitude of MTN Cameroon in relation to the non-respect of the fundamental rights of Cameroonians.   He said for sometimes now Cameroonians who use MTN services are subjected to “voiceless, soundless call) because when you call or pick a call, you cannot get the voice on the other end whereas it consumes credit”. He said the phenomenon of “allo! Allo sans response” which MTN Cameroon careless about is an abuse of consumers rights”.  As such, FESCOSCAM and others are of the opinion that Cameroonians need to have access to good services. Boris Boniface Mbah further explained that the civil society had submitted to MTNC seven claims in which they outlined the rights for consumers to have access to the essential needs and services of MTN, the right to guarantee in the goods and services provided to them, the right to information, the right to information, right to free choice, right to legal suits, right to education and others.  To them, as far as the above rights are not respected, they will carryout series of actions to compel MTN to do so. He said MTNC always think that Cameroon laws are negotiable and that even the communication tariff doesn’t reflect what transpires in other countries.

In his briefing Boris Boniface Mbah also made mention of the treatment melted on some Cameroonians. He cited the case of one of their members (Edison Fru Ndi) who took MTNC to court for a breach contract and was awarded 1.756.275.400 FCFA by the Court of Arbitration but since then the Multinational has never cared to compile to the court decision. He added that on the contrary, MTN officials have resorted to trying to impose what they think and not what was decided by the court. This he said is also another violation because when Edison Fru Ndi he said rejected the proposal of 850million FCFA, the latter said he should therefore be ready to spend the next three years in court. “Disrespecting GICAM” is what we are talking about, Boris told the press. He however, observed that the advocacy campaign code named “bark MTN reveal it action plan in the days ahead but cautioned that MTNC has 21 days to compile or receive the shouting voices of Cameroonians.  

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