Bread makers and caterers across Nigeria have announced their intention to commence a nationwide strike beginning on February 27, 2024.
The decision was conveyed through an official statement issued by the Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria (AMBCON)
Mansur Umari, the National President of AMBCON, made the declaration during a statement read on his behalf by Gabriel Adeniyi, the Kogi State Chairman of the association, on Tuesday.
According to Umari, the strike action is a direct response to the federal government’s failure to uphold the agreement it had entered into with the association back in 2020.
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The AMBCON pointed out the escalating costs of materials utilized by its members and urgently called for the implementation of financial support measures for bakers.
It stated that the measures were initially promised by the Federal Government as part of the post-COVID-19 support programs for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
In addition to financial support, the AMBCON demanded the immediate suspension of all forms of taxation imposed on the bakery industry at the Federal, state, and Local Government levels.
Furthermore, they outlined several other key demands, including the promotion of wheat and sugar cane cultivation and processing within Nigeria, as well as the elimination of multiple tax burdens across government tiers.
The AMBCON also advocated for the establishment of a price control and monitoring committee, as permitted by the amended constitution.
AMBCOM said:
“The Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria have critically accessed the state of our business operation, consequently demand the 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 and Provision of concessionary forex exchange to flour millers and other stakeholders as well as reduction of tariff on imported wheat and sugar.”
