In a significant move impacting the nation’s food industry, the Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria (AMBCN) has officially announced a nationwide strike set to commence on February 27, 2024.
The decision, revealed by AMBCN’s Chairman in Kogi, Adeniyi Gabriel, during a press conference in Lokoja, highlights the association’s concerns regarding the challenging business environment in Nigeria.
The National President of AMBCN, Mansur Umar, conveyed the association’s stance on the difficulties faced in doing business, citing the soaring prices of essential baking materials such as flour, sugar, yeast, vegetable oil, petrol, and diesel.
These price hikes, attributed to subsidy removal and forex deregulation, have placed a considerable burden on the baking industry.
Gabriel stated, “Due to the multifarious increase in the prices of baking materials such as-Flour, Sugar, Yeast, Vegetable oil, Petrol, Diesel (occasioned by subsidy removal and forex deregulation), multiple taxations from federal government agencies, the Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria have critically accessed the state of our business operation, consequently demand the following:
“Liberalisation of flour and sugar importation, reduction or total removal of import duties on major baking materials such as flour, sugar, butter, yeast etc as applicable to other commodities as have recently been done by the federal government. Provision of concessionary forex exchange to flour millers and other stakeholders and reduction of tariff on imported wheat and sugar.
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“Development of cultivation and processing of wheat and sugar cane in Nigeria, removal of multiple taxations both at the federal, state and local government levels, Immediate implementation of financial support palliatives for bakers as promised as post covid-19 support programmes for SMEs for bakers who have lost over 40% of her membership and still counting.
“Suspension of all forms of taxations on the bakery industry, for now, both at the federal, state and local government levels, set up a price control and monitoring committee as allowed by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended and other conditions that will enhance the ease of doing business in the country,”
Expressing their resolve, the AMBCN declared a total withdrawal of their services starting from February 27, 2024, should the government fail to address the concerns raised by the bakers of Nigeria.