The national ID card (CNI in French) being one of the most requested official documents, people are massively moving to police stations to get issued to them. To put an end to fees which are as varied as the number of police officers, the Superintendent of the 3rd Arrondissement in Yaoundé just reminded everyone that the sum required for the ID card is FCfa 2,800. Representing 1,800 for the photograph and 1,000 for the tax. In his communiqué signed on 3 January, he informs that applicants “should present themselves with exactly 2,800 to avoid problems due to availability of change”.
Because, by pretending a lack of change in coins, a police officer can quickly pocket FCfa 200 from every person handing over FCfa 3,000 and in a hurry to complete his application. Sometimes, with the corruption, it is necessary to pass more than the required sum to have one’s ID.
The communiqué from the Yaoundé 3rd Arrondissement Police Station is just the latest one in the number of notices posted by such a structure on its walls or disseminated. Its 2nd Arrondissement neighbour in Yaoundé highlighted, earlier on through a poster, that “withdrawing your ID card is free”. But obviously, it does not change much; old habits die hard.
M.N.M.
