Organisers of the Africa Rally, have revealed that the car auction sales that was carried out in Limbe was successful, as their target income was realised with a surplus.

Duncan Milligan, the event manager of The Africa Rally and member of the League of Adventurists International Ltd, Bristol, UK, was speaking in Limbe at the trade fair ground after the complete sale by public auction of all the cars which the adventurists used in racing from London to Limbe.

The sales were done following the norms of public auction sales under the control of   bailiffs and the watchful eyes of the Government Delegate to the Limbe City Council, Andrew Motanga Monjimba.

The population of Limbe began thronging into the sales ground as early as 10 am to see the cars that were to be auctioned and possibly buy those of the choice.

The trade fair ground witnessed a display of various marks of cars, some old and some new.

Having traveled from London to Limbe and having suffered the difficult terrain especially in Africa the cars were repaired and displayed, ready for sale.

Customs Intervention
Barely minutes to the sales, customs officials stormed the sales ground, requesting for custom duties from the organisers.
This met with stonewalls as they insisted that they had a clearance from the Ministry of Finance.

The organisers went ahead to explain to the custom officials that the Africa Rally event is a humanitarian project, explaining that the money raised from the sales will be ploughed back to the community in the form of carrying out community-based projects.

This did not mean anything to the customs officers who kept on insisting that Yaounde did not inform them of any such arrangements.

The intervention of the Government Delegate to the Limbe City Council, Andrew Motanga Mojimba, only led to understanding between the organisers and the customs.

The understanding, however, went to disfavour the buyers of the cars who had to pay an agreed sum to the customs on top of the 13% to be paid on each item.

After all was settled, the auction began with the announcement that all purchase was cash and carry and woe betiding any one who bids to jest.

The first sale was a new green Opel car, which was sold for FCFA 600,000 after some one had opted to pay FCFA 800,000, but did not have to total money at hand.

Other interesting sales included two Volkswagen Beatles, sold at FCFA 175,000 and FCFA 200,000.

Lucky buyers bought the lone Mercedes Benz car at the auction for FCFA 1,650,000 and a Daihatsu Jeep for FCFA 1,600,000 respectively.

All Satisfied
At the end of the sales, the Event Manager, Duncan Milligan, his team of drivers from Europe and the buyers of the cars were all satisfied with the outcome of the day.

Milligan said he is sure that the money raised from the sales will be used judiciously to ensure that the project objectives are arrived at. He said the response from the public and the Limbe City Council had been tremendous and hoped that it is going to be an annual event.

One of the persons who purchased one of the beetles is quoted as saying that he prays many more cars are brought and auctioned in the coming year.