The Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria (AMBCN) has announced that its members will be going on a nationwide strike starting from February 27 due to escalating production costs. The decision was conveyed by the national president of the association, Alhaji Mansur Umar, and the national secretary, Mr Jude Okafor.
Chief Adeniyi Bamidele Gabriel, the Kogi State chairman of AMBCN, highlighted the reasons for the strike, citing the increased prices of baking materials such as flour, sugar, yeast, and vegetable oil. He also mentioned the impact of subsidy removal and forex deregulation, as well as the burden of multiple taxation imposed by federal, state, and local government agencies.
The association accused government agencies like NAFDAC, SON, NESREA, Consumer Protection Council, and Department of Weight and Measures of imposing multiple taxation burdens. They also criticized state and local governments for introducing additional fees and levies, making it difficult for bakeries to operate profitably.
AMBCN's demands include the liberalization of flour and sugar importation, reduction or elimination of import duties on major baking materials, and provision of concessionary forex exchange to stakeholders. They also called for the development of local cultivation and processing of wheat and sugar cane, suspension of all forms of taxation on the bakery industry, and the establishment of a price control and monitoring committee.
The strike is intended to draw attention to the challenges faced by the baking industry in Nigeria and to press for government intervention to create a more favorable business environment for bakers.
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