Their representatives from the Littoral and South West Regions met in Tiko and expressed the need for protection from the chemicals used on the farms.

Weary of their constant exposure to chemicals that are used in spraying banana, the sector unionists met in Tiko on  July 4, 2014 to put their voices together and  press on their various managements to provide necessary protective measures. Complaints of skin diseases and even blindness have been frequent in banana workers milieu and confirmed in many health centres around them.  

The unionists equally decried the obsolete and rudimentary working tools put at their disposal over the years, asking for modern farming equipment from their employers. Their leaders decided to unite forces in Tiko to say enough is enough with their poor treatment in a sector that remains highly lucrative. 

On the problem of chemicals affecting workers, the trade unionists, under the chairmanship of Moukory Songa Emmanuel Alfred, said they will request their respective managements to introduce the required internationally standardised chemicals which have little or no effect on labourers.

Overloading in their transport lorry that carries them to and fro the farms has caused repeated road accidents in the recent past and their Tiko meeting vowed to end the risks by urging the car driver to make more trips. Actually, trips are economised to save money for fuel irrespective of the human life involved, the workers said.  Similar measures, they affirmed, will follow on the other preoccupations to eliminate the appalling conditions of banana workers in Cameroon.

The unionists prided that banana production in Tiko, Mussaka and Missaka (Fako Division of the South West Region) and those of Loum, Manjo, Mbanga, Njombe and Penja in Mungo Division (Littoral Region) of Cameroon top the chart of production in Africa.

Earlier, Gabriel Mbene Vefonge, President of Banana Workers Union in Fako led the delegation to the Divisional Officer of Tiko and the Tiko Council where they explained to the authorities their efforts to bring about improved working conditions in the union. They equally paid a courtesy visit to the Plantation du Haut Penja (PHP), in Tiko, to see how labourers there are treated. They ended the tour in the office of the Manager of the Group of Banana Management (GBM) in Tiko where they discussed a better way forward on workers’ conditions.