GECAM’s President Says Increasing Number Of Cameroonians, Are Living Below Poverty Line, And That 6000 Cameroonians Migrated To Canada From January to April 2024.

He says GECAM is also worried about workers of local enterprises that obtain loans from banks and disappear to Canada, leaving the enterprises in problems.

The President of the organization of enterprises in Cameroon commonly known by the French acronym, GECAM (former GICAM), Celestin Tawamba, has expressed the deep concern of the organization, that an increasing number of Cameroonians are today living below poverty line, meaning that they are living in poverty. He says statistics from the National Institute of Statistics, show that as many as some 10.5 million (Ten million, five hundred thousand) Cameroonians are today living in poverty. It should be noted that the estimated population of Cameroon today is 25 – 30 million. The last population census in Cameroon took place almost 20 years ago.

Meanwhile the outspoken President of GECAM, Celestin Tawamba, made the disclosure in Douala on September 18, 2024, during an annual event that the organization terms, ‘Rentre Economique du Patronat’. The event is a traditional encounter between GECAM and the media in the form of a press conference that takes place, in the month of September each year. It should be noted that the President of GECAM met the media with his team (executive members), and also present were members of the Board of Directors of the organization.

In an elaborate preliminary presentation at the press conference, the President of GECAM, Celestin Tawamba, touched on nine points or issues, which included: Finance, Energy, Investment, Digitalization, Flight of Competences toward Canada,  Public contracts, Land, Road Infrastructures and Transport.

Difficult Situation For Enterprises And Population

    The President of GICAM asserted that enterprises or businesses in Cameroon today, as well as the population, are facing a lot of difficulties. He asserted that the situation is certainly worst in the Far North Region that has been hard hit by a gigantic flood, causing damages to both human lives and properties. He extended the condolences of GECAM to the population of the Far North Region.

Talking about the economy, Tawamba observed that it has not been well with Cameroon’s economy for many years, as the country has for long, been persistently falling below projected economic growth rate figures, and so also, has the National Development Strategy, SND 2030. He pointed out for example that Cameroon’s economic growth rate for 2010 – 2020 was projected at 5.5 %, but it ended up below 4%. He said the projected economic growth rate from 2021 – 025 is 6.6 %.  But he disclosed that the economic growth rate recoded from 2021 to 2023 is a meagre 3.8 %.  He asserted that the low growth rate of the economy has been increasing both the rate of unemployment and poverty in the society.

The President of GICAM explained that as a result of the persistently low economic growth rate of Cameroon, the country’s balance of trade has not only been unfavorable, but that the situation has  been aggravating, and that it for example went over the bar of 2,000 billion FCFA in 2022. He noted that the 2,000 billion FCFA in trade deficit that Cameroon suffered in 2022, is 25 % (one quarter) of the annual State budget.  Tawamba also noted that inflation in Cameroon remains high.

Drop In Award Of Public Contracts

Tawamba also disclosed that there was a drop in the award of public contracts by Government in the first quarter of this year.  He explained that it was due to the financial difficulties that the country is facing, notably in the payment of public debts. One can understand why the Government made a lot of noise a few months back, when it succeeded to negotiate a huge loan granted by the International Monetary Fund, IMF, which on paper is meant the pay internal debts. But as an adage says, somebody who borrows money to pay his debts has merely dug one hole, to fill another.

 6000 Cameroonians Migrated To Canada In Four Months

     Meanwhile talking about migration to Canada which has become a big attraction to many Cameroonians these days, the President of GECAM disclosed that statistics obtained by the organization, shows for example that as many as 6000 Cameroonians migrated to Canada from January – April 2024, or better still, in the first quarter of this year. That is, a total of 6000 Cameroonians left the country in a period of four months, for Canada.  Tawamba said Cameroon has become the second highest ‘supplier of labour’ to Canada in the world.

The GECAM Boss asserted that the organization is particularly preoccupied with the massive migration of the country’s qualified work force to Canada. “This situation has been exacerbated by a number of crises that our country has been facing for a number of years now, with significant repercussions on our national economy and work force”, he stated.

   Skilled Labour That Leave For Canada

The GECAM President said from statistics, many Cameroonians that have these days migrated to Canada, are persons that were working in local enterprises, and acquired skills and experience. He said many were recruited by the local companies or enterprises when they had no working experience or skills.  He explained that after recruiting them,  the Cameroonian enterprises spent money to have them trained in different ways, so as to enable them acquire skills and improve on the quality of their output.

But the GECAM Boss regretted that after acquiring skill and experience, many of these workers have left the local enterprises and go to Canada, which benefits from the skills and experience of those workers.  He as well said that the sudden departures of some of these skilled workers leave vacuums that some enterprises find it difficult to fill in a short time, and that creates problems for those enterprises.

Workers That Obtain Loans And Disappear

The President of GECAM also disclosed that one other serious issue that the organization is worried about as regard the migration to Canada, is that there are quite a number of ex workers of local enterprises who before their secret departure, had obtained loans from banks that they had not yet repaid. He said these are the banks that enterprises get into arrangement, for them to be handling the salaries of their workers. He said generally these banks in good faith give such workers credit facilities. Generally, the workers that borrow money from these banks repay in installments, deducted from their salaries.

Tawamba stated that once an enterprise realizes that a worker has left, there is of course an immediate stop to the payment of the person’s salary. He said if it is that the person borrowed some money from the bank and left without having reimbursed it, there will be a problem. He said what banks in the country generally do, is that in the face of such a situation, the bank concern will refuse to grant any further loan to a worker of the enterprises. He explained to stop such a situation, the enterprise is forced to pay the debt that the ex -worker left in the bank.

The President of GECAM disclosed the ever increasing cases of workers that sneak to Canada leaving behind debts in the banks, has gotten to a point where the organization have contacted the Ministry of External Relations, for them to concert and see how to address the problem. He however did not give any details about the discussion between GECAM and the Ministry of External Relations.