Mohammed Shosanya
The Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria (AMBCN),has announced an increase of 15 percent on all its products with effect from July 24,this year.
In a statement jointly signed by Alhaji Mansur Umar and Hon. Jude Okafor, the National President and National Secretary respectively,the association stated that the decision was agreed upon after the National Executive Council extraordinary virtual meeting.
The association said that the decision was taken due to the multifarious increases on the prices of baking materials; flour, sugar, yeast, vegetable oil, twist tie, petrol, diesel (occasioned by subsidy removal), multiple taxations from federal and states agencies including SON, NESREA, emblems, local government authorities fees and levies, consumer protection council among others.
The statement said:“We critically accessed the state of our business operations consequently resolve that the recent general increases on our factors of production including but not limited to additional N1.2 million on one truck of flour (N2,000 per bag), N3.6 million on one truck of sugar (N6,000 per bag), yeast additional N2,000 per carton, fuel from N205 to N550, diesel N650 to N700 (depending on the part of the country), multiple taxations from federal government regulatory agencies, State government tax agencies, state government emblem collectors, state and local government health agencies and other taxing agencies too numerous to mention here, continuous collection of now heavily increased wheat levy (which is now diverted to other uses other than the objective for establishing it).
“Charge of all manner of levies on Flour millers that is finally transferred to bakers, it has now thrown a great number of our members into the unemployment market and is still counting.
“Effective 24th July 2023 as an interim measure, all members of AMBCN are hereby advised to adjust their prices by 15% (in consonance with the now heavily increased cost of factors of our production) across the board as we can only produce standard baked products in accordance with NAFDAC regulation as we cannot sacrifice the health of our fellow country men and women on the altar of breaking even point by resorting to unhealthy practices pending further resolutions”
The association implored the federal and state governments to intervene urgently and save the industry from total collapse.
It directed that all zonal chairmen,state chairmen and local chapters chairmen to commence full scale mobilisation towards implementation of the interim resolutions and await further directives from the National Secretariat.
It added:“We sincerely appreciate the understanding and cooperation of our numerous customers nationwide as they grapple with the extra burden placed on them with the imminent increase and promise to revert back should there be significant governments interventions”.