Nigeria: Master bakers and Caterers Association threatens nationwide strike over unmet govt agreements

Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria has issued a warning, stating that it will initiate a nationwide service withdrawal from February 27 if the Federal government fails to implement an agreement reached with the association in 2020.

The association is demanding the immediate implementation of financial support palliatives promised by the Federal Government as post COVID-19 support programs for Small and Medium Enterprises. They highlight the significant loss suffered by bakers, with over 40 percent of their membership affected and still increasing.

Additionally, the association is calling for the suspension of all forms of taxation on the bakery industry at the federal, state, and local government levels.

In a statement delivered by the Kogi State Chairman of the association, Chief Gabriel Adeniyi, on behalf of the National President, Alhaji Mansur Umar, the decision to withdraw services is attributed to the perceived failure of the government to honor its commitments.

“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.”

The development of wheat and sugar cane farming and processing in Nigeria, as well as the elimination of multiple taxes at all governmental levels, are among the association’s other demands.

In addition, the association demanded other measures that will facilitate business operations in the nation, such as the establishment of a price control and monitoring committee, as permitted by the recently amended constitution.