Reports say, a faction of bakers in the country, on Monday 26 February, opted out of the nationwide strike earlier announced by some of their counterparts across the country which is scheduled for Tuesday, February 27 .
Recall that the Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria had on February 14 2024 declared that unless the Federal Government honours the agreement reached with the association in 2020, it was ready to begin a nationwide strike beginning from February 27.
The Association also called for the temporary suspension of all types of taxation on the bakery industry at the federal, state, and local government levels.
According to a statement announcing the strike, the National President of AMBCON, Mansur Umar, noted that;
“the Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria have critically accessed the state of business operation and 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.”
Also, the association appealed for the setting up of a price control and monitoring committee as allowed by the constitution as amended and other conditions that will promote the ease of doing business across the country.
In a statement on Monday 26 February, some bakers under the umbrella of Supreme Bakers and Confectioners Association of Nigeria however said that embarking on strike at a time Nigerians are going through a lot is uncalled for and could worsen the country’s situation.
Acting National President of the association, Edmund Egbuji, called on all members of the group not to be part of the planned nationwide strike.
He explained that the BOT chairman and the entire members of the board of trustees in conjunction with the national exco of Supreme Bakers and Confectioners Association of Nigeria wish to bring to the notice of the general public that Supreme Bakers Association will not embark on a nationwide withdrawal of services (strike) proposed by some bakers association in the country.
Egbuji who stressed that supreme bakers have deemed it as unpatriotic at such a time of food insecurity and scarcity in the country to embark on strike added that going on strike will never be an option rather the government through its relevant ministries should call for a roundtable discussion to cushion the effects of food scarcity plight.
“All members of the supreme bakers are hereby directed to go about the business of feeding the nation as any contrary action will add to the pains of the overstretched citizens.” He added.
