Buying and selling of books which often characterises back-to-school activities on the eve of every academic year appears to have suffered a setback this time around in Bamenda.
From the look of things, recommended books are in short supply in town, a few days to the 2012/2013 academic year. As at press time on August 22, 2012, there was little or no rush towards bookshops and roadside book depots. It is not business as usual for bookseller, Chi Daniel who says by this time last year, he had banked several FCFA notes from sales of textbooks and other essential stationery.
Another book seller at the Commercial Avenue blames the situation on the absence of recommended textbooks in Bamenda. The delay is not helping matters for vendors and parents whose children are expected to present the books before being allowed in class as schools reopen on September 3, 2012.
Another bookseller, Fru Elvis is categorical that the book business will not prosper until civil servants start going for August 2012 salaries. Elsewhere, John Akong believes that residents of Bamenda enjoy the late hour rush and that could also explain the little rush for books now.
However, the issue at stake is the absence or delay of textbooks. In the short and long of it, inhabitants are concerned about the ugly situation. In effect, as the countdown for back-to-school nears, the city of Bamenda is yet to get the heat as far as the buying of books is concerned.
