The Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria (AMBCON) has declared its readiness to embark on a nationwide strike on February 27, 2024.

The association said would withdraw its service across the country on February 27, should the Federal Government refuse to implement the agreement it entered into with the bakers in 2020.

AMBCON made the declaration in a statement issued by its National President, Mansur Umar, on Tuesday, February 13.

Umar noted that the decision of the association 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.”

“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,” he added.

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The AMBCON President, however, called for the immediate implementation of financial support palliatives for bakers as promised by the Federal Government as post-COVID-19 support programmes for Small and Medium Enterprises for bakers who have lost over 40 per cent of their membership.

He also called for the immediate suspension of all forms of taxation on the bakery industry at the federal, state, and local government levels.

Umar said: “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 AMBCON 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 Nigeria.

The Star