Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria (AMBCN), Abuja, has appealed to the federal government to help intervene in the recent hike in price of flour by BUA Group – IRS Flour Mill (owned by billionaire Abdulsamad Rabiu), Super Four Mill and Golden Confectionery, saying that the increase is destroying their businesses and may lead to joblessness for many if no concrete step is taken.
Speaking with a news medium on Monday, the national publicity secretary of the association, Kabiru Hassan Abdullahi, who also doubles as its state secretary, Kano State branch, said that the price of flour had gone up to N16,200, from N9,500 which it was not long ago.
Asking the federal government to come to the aid of bakers, Abdullahi said: “The hike is killing our businesses, and it is sad they have refused to do anything about it.
“The increment is over 50 percent, and it is even more saddening because even with the dollar exchange rate of N1 to over N500, we still bought flour at same N9,500; but why is it now that the rate has dropped that they increased the price? This is pure wickedness.
“What Abdulsamad Rabiu of BUA Group, IRS, super and golden confectionery are doing is unhealthy for us and the Nigerian economy. In fact, they are planning to increase it again by N7, 000. Can you can imagine?
“One thing they should know is that if we are scrapped out of the market, the rate of unemployment in the country will be doubled because many in their thousands will lose their jobs.
“We are still meeting, and as things stand, we may have no choice than to embark on an indefinite strike.”
It will be recalled it was once reported that bread makers and the Gurasa Bakers Association of Kano state had threatened to embark on indefinite strike if the flour companies (BUA Group – IRS, Super Mill and Golden Confectionery) should fail to reverse the price of flour.
Gurasa is a Kano indigenous local bread made up of flour that serves as one of delicacies used by Hausa people in the state.
The chairperson of the Gurasa Bakers Association, Fatima Auwalu, had said that since the warning strike was called off, there had been no change. Instead, the price had been rising by the day, prompting the Association to embark on indefinite industrial action until authorities and stakeholders do the needful.
She decried a situation whereby the quality of the product had been reduced, aside the increase in the price of flour, saying “this has negatively impacted our business.”
