The Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria (AMBCON) has directed its members to proceed on an indefinite nationwide strike beginning February 27.
It said the decision for her members to withdraw their services followed Federal government’s refusal to implement the agreement it entered into with the association in 2020.
In a statement by the Union’s National President, Alhaji Mansur Umar, AMBCON called for the immediate implementation of financial support palliatives for bakers by the Federal Government.
Recall that Federal Government had promised a post-COVID-19 support programmes for Small and Medium Enterprises for bakers who have lost over 40 per cent of their membership.
Umar, in a statement read on his behalf by the Kogi State Chairman of the association, Chief Gabriel Adeniyi, further called for the suspension of all forms of taxation on the bakery industry for now at the federal, state and local government levels.
AMBCON President noted that the decision to withdraw its services was 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 said, “Multiple taxations from several federal, state, local government agencies fees and levies, hike in business activities in Nigeria are also some of the reasons for the impending strike action.”
The statement partly read, “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.”
Other demands outlined by the association include the development of cultivation and processing of wheat and sugar cane in Nigeria, and the removal of multiple taxations at all government levels.
The association also called for the setting up of a price control and monitoring committee as allowed by the constitution as amended and other conditions that will enhance the ease of doing business in the country.
