Messapresse halts distribution of Cameroonian newspapers

The Director General of the lone newspaper distributor in Cameroon, Laurent Boin, has signed a letter in which he informs publishers of newspapers and the public that, they will no longer distribute Cameroonian newspapers as from August 7 2017.

One of the reasons he puts forth for this sudden halt is the deficits they have incurred for the past years of their existence in Cameroon.

The distributor had proposed an increment in the money paid by newspapers who are in a contract with the organ in order to cover up for the deficits they incurred as they circulated the papers. But the publishers turned down the proposal.

Some months back, Messapresse complained of difficulties they had been facing in the business which cost them 250 million FCFA a year, as revealed by Cameroon-info:net.

In April, a commission was put in place between the Cameroon Postal services (Campost) and the Federation of Press Editors (Fedipresse) meant to study and develop the distribution of newspapers in Cameroon. The Federation gave a proposition which could enhance the distribution of the newspapers all over the National territory; that is, reaching 250 post offices, 10 Regional EMS agencies, 80 contact points, 4 specialised establishments, 24 post points and 10 Regional Delegations. This only remained on paper as it was never a reality.