Some market vendors of the Buea Municipality have been sensitized on their rights, obligations as well as on the existence of the Office of the Public Independent Conciliator. The vendors drawn from different trades and category of Market Associations (Second-hand Clothes, Snails business, Plantain Union, Eru Union, Poultry Farmers Union, Vegetable Union, etc) from the Soppo, Muea, and Bwitingi markets on Wednesday 21 September 2022 attended a one-day seminar at the Conference Room of the Cameroon Industrial and Opportunity Centre (C.O.I.C).
The objective of the seminar captioned: Office of the Public Independent Conciliator and the Associations of Market Vendors: “Collaborating to Reinforce Understanding for the Promotion and Defence of Rights and Obligation of Service Users,” was to create awareness among market vendors on the existence of the Office, as well as on the rights and obligations of market vendors vis-à-vis council services.
Addressing the market vendors in pidgin language, the Public Independent Conciliator, Mme Telelen Dorothy Atabong spouse Motaze, said the Office belongs to all those who demand services from Municipal councils and the Regional Assembly.
She stated that the reason why the President of the Republic H. E Paul Biya, created the Office in the North-West and South-West Regions is to ensure a peaceful coexistence between citizens and council administrations.
The mission of the Office of the Public Independent Conciliator, she explained, is to amicably settle disputes between citizens and the councils. Speaking to the press, Mme Public Independent Conciliator added that it was necessary for the Office to come towards the market vendors since their nature of activity may not enable them to listen to the radio where there is an ongoing sensitization campaign.
After haven listened to the presentations on the Missions of the Public Independent Conciliator and the Areas of Interest to be Considered in the Relationship Between Market Vendors and the Council, the traders asked questions, presented their problems as well as issues of misunderstanding they face in their day to day dealings with market officials. Some of these issues amongst others include; the absence of toilets, lack of security and protection, discrimination, disparity in, and exorbitant ticket fees.
While the Public Independent Conciliator dully took note of the issues of major concern raised by the market vendors and promised to discuss it with the mayor of the Buea Municipality, she called on them to meet up with their obligations towards the council.
Market vendors without associations were also encouraged by the Mme the Public Independent Conciliator to form one. She stated that registering as a union makes them stronger especially when it comes to laying complaints. To round up she exhorted them to sensitize their fellow vendors on the existence of the Office. As such flyers on the missions of Office was given to the vendors to distribute to their peers.
