Rising production cost: Bakers begin nationwide strike Feb 27

The Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria (AMBCN) has issued a notice of a nationwide strike from February 27 over unfavourable business climate.

The Kogi State chairman of AMBCN, Chief Adeniyi Bamidele Gabriel, disclosed this Tuesday in Lokoja to newsmen.

He said the notice was contained in a statement issued jointly by the national president of the association, Alhaji Mansur Umar, and the national secretary, Mr Jude Okafor.

He said the organisation is closing shops “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 taxation via federal government agencies.”

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AMBCN added that the federal government effected multiple taxation burdens via   agencies like NAFDAC, SON, NESREA, Consumer Protection Council, Department of Weight and Measures, among others.

The organisation added that, “States and local government agencies fees and levies such as emblems, assessment levies, touting, etc. and the general hike on ease of doing business in Nigeria” have created a harsh business climate for the organisation to operate.

Among others, the AMBCN demands the following to ease their business operations;

“Liberalisation of flour and sugar importation, reduction or total removal of import duties on major baking materials.

“Provision of concessionary forex exchange to flour millers and other stakeholders, and reduction of tariff on imported wheat and sugar.

“Development of cultivation and processing of wheat and sugar cane in Nigeria, removal of multiple taxation at the federal, state and local government levels”.

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

“And 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.”