International Trade Fair postponed to 20th

The jamboree scheduled to end April 16th has been postponed to 20th.

As of last Tuesday afternoon, veteran politician, Jean Jacques Ekindi, was not sure whether his annual international trade fair organized at the Deido neighbourhood in Douala will meet its target. He sat by the seaside watching canoe riders and the few men and women who loitered from one corner to another, still transporting planks and banderols to their makeshift sheds. At press time, most potential participants were still unsure about the effective start date of the business jamboree which was formerly scheduled for April 3rd to 16th. Most of the stands, mainly owned by ministerial departments and other State institutions, have only been partially erected. The only sheds which currently carry a roof and banners are restaurants and traditional healers’ spots where concoctions of various qualities, skulls and fangs of diverse mammals have been displayed. The beer parlours which often characterise Douala based trade fairs are quite timid.

“We need to overhaul our mentalities; Cameroonians need to be more conscious about time and responsibility,” Hon. Ekindi said, regretting that the trade show which was expected to begin last Saturday is still at its maiden stage. “We expected lots of business representatives from America, Germany, Algeria, South Africa and Nigeria. But the foreign business partners seem not to understand our system. Most of their merchandise, meant for exhibition, is still on transit. They simply cannot meet the deadline,” the parliamentarian said.

Asked about the objectives of the trade show, Hon. Ekindi said his target is to enhance the national economic development. “There is need for local business people to acquire knowledge about external market trends, exchange information about existing goods and services and seal significant trade agreements with potential partners,” Hon Ekindi noted. He acknowledged the support of the government for this year’s tradeshow “though no financial package has been disbursed.”