Cameroon: Govt raises minimum salary by 20 percent

(SomaliNet) As part of efforts to cushion the impact of soaring food prices in central Africa\'s biggest economy, Cameroon\'s government raised the minimum guaranteed salary in the private sector by 20 percent on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, dozens of people were killed in late February in Cameroon when anger over the cost of living helped trigger riots in which demonstrators took to the streets to protest against a move by President Paul Biya to extend his 25-year rule.

A government decree showed that the minimum guaranteed wage was raised on Wednesday to 28 216 CFA francs ($67,09) per month, up from a 1995 minimum wage of a 23 514 CFA francs.

\"The decision is part of efforts to fight social inequalities and poverty,\" the government said in a press release.

In March, the oil-producing country raised civil servants\' basic wages by 15 percent and housing allowance by 20 percent. At the same, it lifted custom duties on basic foodstuffs like rice, fish and cooking oil.

Unrest has sparked across the world over the past few months as impoverished populations struggle with food costs driven higher by record oil prices, weather and speculators trading in local market places and on global futures exchanges.-Reuters