Nigerian Bakers, Caterers to Begin Nationwide Strike February 27

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria (AMBCON) has announced plans to withdraw its service nationwide from February 27, following a lack of implementation over an agreement with the federal government in 2020.

In a statement from the National President of AMBCON, Mr Mansur Umar, on Tuesday, it called for the immediate implementation of financial support palliatives for bakers as promised by the federal government as post-COVID-19 support programmes for Small and Medium Enterprises and bakers who have lost over 40 per cent of their membership and still counting.

According to the AMBCON President, the decision of the group to withdraw its services is also due to the “multifarious increase in the prices of baking materials such as flour, sugar, yeast, vegetable oil, petrol, diesel all occasioned by subsidy removal and forex deregulation.”

The association also called for the suspension of all forms of taxation on the bakery industry for now at the federal, state and local government levels.

The statement also demanded the liberalisation of flour and sugar importation, and the reduction or total removal of import duties on major baking materials, as applicable to other commodities.

It also wants the “provision of concessionary forex exchange to flour millers and other stakeholders and reduction of tariff on imported wheat and sugar.”

The group also demanded, “The 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 per cent of her membership and still counting.”

It further called for the “suspension of all forms of taxations on the bakery industry, for now, both at the federal, state and local government levels,” saying “a price control and monitoring committee” should be established “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.’’