Rescue The Customer!

The current cat and mouse game being played by producers and retailers of essential building materials like cement notably on the price of the produce is disturbing, to say the least. In fact, the ease and unilateral manner with which they increase their prices leaves the population wanting though it is widely preached that in any business venture, the customer is king.
It is now difficult to know how much to budget to carry on a project looking at the skyrocketing nature of prices of building materials. Some might talk of fluctuations but in reality, it is incessant price hikes. They have been going up over the years and each time the prices increase, dealers almost always look for sometimes lame justifications. One disappointed citizen, apparently involved in a construction project, lamented the other day how each time prices go up in the country, they hardly come back to hitherto levels even after what was given as reasons ceases to exist. 
It is disheartening therefore to learn that even after officials of companies involved in cement production in the country came out a week ago to tell Cameroonians that the retail price of the produce will stay at the homologated prices; meaning at maximum FCFA 5, 000 per 50kg bag, some retailers have continued to exploit helpless customers with cut-throat prices. The population who often stretch beyond limit to acquire land, save and heavily indebt themselves to strive to have a house of their own have been transformed into grass in the unbridled quest for gain visible in the producer-retailer tussle. While the wholesaler tells anyone who cares to listen that the wholesale price given to retailers is such that they can respect the homologated prices and still make good returns, the latter cries foul that the wholesaler doesn’t take into consideration the cost of transportation from the production plant to the market. 
As the population wonders over the ...