Should the Federal government refuse to carry out the agreement it entered into with the association in 2020, bakers and caterers operating under the banner of the Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria (AMBCON) have declared preparations to discontinue their services nationally as of February 27.
It demanded that the Federal Government immediately carry out the financial support palliatives for bakers that it had promised, as part of the post-COVID-19 assistance programs for Small and Medium Enterprises catering to bakeries who had lost more than 40% of their membership and counting.
This disclosure is contained in a statement from the National President of AMBCON, Alhaji Mansur Umar, which was read on his behalf by the Kogi State Chairman of the association, Chief Gabriel Adeniyi, on Tuesday, February 13, 2024.
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The association called for the suspension of all forms of taxation on the bakery industry for now at the federal, state and local government levels.
According to Adeniyi, the AMBCON President noted that the decision 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.”
The statement partly reads, “Due to the multifarious increase in the prices of baking materials such as-Flour, Sugar, Yeast, Vegetable oil, Petrol, Diesel (occasioned by subsidy removal and forex deregulation), multiple taxations from federal government agencies, the Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria have critically accessed the state of our business operation, consequently demand the following:
“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. Provision of concessionary forex exchange to flour millers and other stakeholders and reduction of tariff on imported wheat and sugar.
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“Development of cultivation and processing of wheat and sugar cane in Nigeria, removal of multiple taxations both at the federal, state and local government levels, Immediate implementation of financial support palliatives for bakers as promised as post covid-19 support programmes for SMEs for bakers who have lost over 40% of her membership and still counting.
“Suspension of all forms of taxations on the bakery industry, for now, both at the federal, state and local government levels, set up a price control and monitoring committee as allowed by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended and other conditions that will enhance the ease of doing business in the country.’’
The association 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 the country.
The Association noted that they will embark on total withdrawal of their services from 27th February 2024 if the government fails to heed the cry of bakers of Nigeria.
