Bakers, caterers to go on nationwide strike from Feb. 27

Members of the Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria on Tuesday threatened to withdraw their service nationwide from February 27.

They said they could only stop the withdrawal of service if the Federal government would implement the agreement it entered into with the association in 2020.

They also called for the immediate implementation of financial support promised by the Federal Government as post COVID-19 support programme.

The association further called for suspension of all forms of taxes on the bakery products for now at the federal, state and local government levels.

Alhaji Mansur Umar, the National President of AMBCON, said the decision to withdraw the 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.”

His statement, which was read by the Kogi State Chairman of the association, Chief Gabriel Adeniyi, also 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 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 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.”