Fresh complaints are emerging from workers recruited by the Yaoundé regime for Cameroon’s Fourth General Population and Housing Census, with many young field agents accusing authorities of exploitation, unpaid allowances, and deliberate manipulation of work agreements across occupied Ambazonia and other parts of the country.
One of the affected workers stationed in Tonga reportedly contacted MMI News to expose what she described as “terrible conditions” facing thousands of young recruits participating in the nationwide census operation, which also includes the collection of agricultural and livestock data.
According to the worker, enumerators were initially informed during recruitment that they would receive a training allowance of 1,500 FCFA per day. The training period was expected to last 28 days for ordinary enumerators and 36 days for team leaders. However, after completing the training exercise, workers allegedly discovered that payments were made for only 22 days instead of the full agreed-upon duration.
“The situation is terrible,” the worker reportedly lamented, accusing authorities of failing to respect the initial commitments made to recruits before deployment into the field.
The workers further alleged that the Yaoundé regime initially informed them that the field census operation would run for 36 days with a total salary package of 133,000 FCFA. But after training ended, they were allegedly presented with new contract forms extending the operation to 49 days without any increase in salary.
“At first, they told us the census was going to be within 36 days for a salary of 133,000 FCFA, and now they are giving us a contract form of 49 days while the salary has not changed,” the source reportedly told MMI News.
The disgruntled workers also accused officials of failing to pay the promised daily subsistence allowance of 3,500 FCFA meant to support transportation and field operations during the ongoing household identification and numbering phase.
Several recruits reportedly say they are stranded in difficult working environments with little support, despite the exercise’s demanding nature.
The Fourth General Population and Housing Census is one of the Biya regime’s major statistical operations intended to gather demographic, agricultural, and livestock data for state planning and development policies. However, the latest allegations are likely to intensify public criticism over the treatment of young Cameroonians recruited for government operations.
MMI News says it has not independently verified all the allegations raised by the workers and that attempts have been made to contact the relevant authorities for clarification and official response.
