(Business in Cameroon) - Société sucrière du Cameroun (Sosucam), signed on July 30, 2019, a new staff regulation that improves the working conditions of about 4,500 workers.

According to Thierry Armand Owona, head of human resources at Sosucam, this regulation increases the base salary of workers and enforcement officers by 10%.

In addition, every enforcement agency’s housing allowance will be increased starting from November 1, 2019 (enforcement date). Participation costs will also be provided for the annual vacation of supervisors’ children. The new regulation also consecrates the removal of ceilings for the calculation of severance benefits and revalorization of seasonal workers’ health care bonus. “The negotiations concluded with social partners consecrate many social advancements with the will to substantially boost workers’ daily life,” says Samuel Second Libock, Sosucam’s deputy managing director.

Leader of the Cameroonian sugar market (70% coverage rate), Sosucam, 74% and 26% owned respectively by French Somdiaa and Cameroonian government, was created in 1965. It has an average yearly production capacity of 130,000 tons. Overall, it has created 8,000 direct and indirect jobs for a salary mass of XAF14 billion. With the new staff regulation, this mass will increase to XAF14.5 billion.

With a capital of XAF27.5 billion, Sosucam has a yearly turnover of XAF60 billion and pays about XAF12 billion in taxes.

Sylvain Andzongo