Breadmakers Set To Embark On Four-Day Warning Strike Over Hike In Business Cost

Breadmakers in the country have disclosed that they will begin a four-day warning strike on Thursday, July 21, 2022, due to the unbearable cost of doing business in Nigeria.

Alerting the public in a statement on Wednesday, the President of the Premium Breadmakers Association of Nigeria (PBAN), Emmanuel Onuorah, stated that bakery operations in the country have become almost impossible as a result of the incessant hike in the prices of bakery materials and diesel.

Onuorah revealed that members of the association (owners, managing directors and partners of premium bakeries), are running on monumental losses; an unacceptable development that is no longer sustainable.

“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.

“The reasons for the withdrawal of services are as follows: Incessant increase in the price of baking materials; Request Federal Government to stop charging 15 per cent Wheat development levy on wheat import; Request NAFDAC to review downwards the 154,000 naira penalty charged bakeries on late renewal of certificates; 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) and Stoppage of multi – agencies regulation of the breadmaking industry.

"...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", he stated.