Bread Scarcity Looms As Bakers Declare Strike

Premium Breadmakers Association of Nigeria (PBAN), comprising owners, Managing Directors and Partners of premium bakeries in Nigeria, have concluded plans to embark on four-day warning strike beginning from Thursday July 21, 2022.

Gatekeepers News reports that the President of the Association, Emmanuel Onuorah and Public & Industrial Relations Officer, Babalola Thomas in a statement asked the Federal Government to stop charging 15% Wheat development levy on wheat import.

The bread makers took the decision in protest against increasing prices of baking materials in the country, saying it has become impossible to operate bakeries in Nigeria.

Tgey also requested NAFDAC to review downwards the N154,000 penalty charged bakeries on late renewal of certificates.

PBAN also called on the government to grant members access to grants and soft loans being given by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to Minor, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs).

It said, “Operating a bakery in Nigeria has become near impossible as the incessant increase in the prices of baking materials and diesel rendered the industry comatose. Bakeries are mostly running on huge losses and this is no longer sustainable.

“Bread is a staple food and one of the cheapest ‘grab and go’ food that is available for both the poor and rich. It therefore behooves on the federal government to be mindful of this and ensure the survival and sustainability of the industry.It said, “Operating a bakery in Nigeria has become near impossible as the incessant increase in the prices of baking materials and diesel rendered the industry comatose. Bakeries are mostly running on huge losses and this is no longer sustainable.

“Bread is a staple food and one of the cheapest ‘grab and go’ food that is available for both the poor and rich. It therefore behooves on the federal government to be mindful of this and ensure the survival and sustainability of the industry.

“In a move to ensure the survival of the Premium breadmaking industry in Nigeria, we have decided to embark on a withdrawal of services beginning from Thursday 21st July, 2022 for four days in the first instance and where no intervention from the government, we shall escalate the duration of the withdrawal.

“Our efforts to ensure the survival of the industry led to series of meetings with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Abuja (FMITI) with our sister association in the breadmaking industry in 2021. Our best attempts to ensure that suggestions we put forward for survival of the breadmaking industry has not yielded the desired result.

“Therefore, the withdrawal of service is the only way we believe we can use to get to Federal Government and Nigerians and let them know our plight and how difficult it has been with the breadmaking industry in Nigeria.”