Enterprises Decry Unfair Competition

Manufacturing companies in Cameroon have urged government to put an end to unfair competition by stamping out smuggling and imitation of goods. The call was made by the Executive Director of LANA Bio Cosmetics during the visit of the Minister of Employment and Vocational Training to the enterprise yesterday. Ali Awada said the imitation and smuggling of cosmetic products does not only lead to unfair competition but also puts the health of Cameroonians at risk as well as a dwindling of State revenue through unpaid custom duties. Responding to the Minister’s call for companies to help government attain the objective of creating 500.000 jobs this year, he said if government could curtail these malpractices, LANA Bio Cosmetics could triple its labour force from the 500 at present to 1500 by scaling up the business. 
They cited the case of Nigeria where no product is allowed into the country without the stamp of the norms and standards agency, NAFDAC which is the equivalent of ANOR in Cameroon. "NAFDAC has its own police force that enforces its decisions”, said Ali Awada.
Meanwhile Minister Issa Tchiroma congratulated the owners of the company for choosing to invest in Cameroon saying despite the little problems witnessed, the country remains and island of peace and concord. He promised the business leaders that he will submit their complain to the Prime Minister and Head of government as well as intercede on the behalf of the companies with other concerned ministerial departments as soon as he returns to Yaounde, so that measures to combat illegal importation and imitation of goods can be implemented. Like with SCB bank before, the Minister called on LANA Bio Cosmetics to set up a training centre which will be open to the public instead of organisng refresher courses only for its staff. He congratulated the management of LANA Bio Cosmetics for having chosen to invest in Cameroon and for providing employment to Cameroonian youths.