The Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria (AMBCN), Abuja, has urged cried to the federal government to intervene in the recent price hike of flour by BUA Group – IRS Flour Mill (owned by billionaire Abdul Samad Rabiu), Super Four Mill, and Golden Confectionery, claiming that the hike is killing their businesses and may result in the abolition of many jobs if no action is taken.
The price of flour was N9,500 not long ago, but it has now risen to N16,200, according to Kabiru Hassan Abdullahi, the association’s national publicity secretary who also serves as the state secretary for the Kano State branch.
“The federal government should please come to our aid,” Abdullahi says.
“Our businesses are being harmed by the hike, and it’s unfortunate that they are refusing to do anything about it.
“The increase is more than 50%, which is even more disappointing because even when the dollar exchange rate was over N500, we could still buy flour for the same N9,500; why are they increasing the price now that the rate has dropped? This is absolute depravity.
“What BUA Group, IRS, Super and Golden Confectionery’s Abdul Samad Rabiu is doing is bad for us and the Nigerian economy. In fact, they intend to increase it by N7,000 again. Can you imagine it?”
“One thing is certain: if we are kicked out of the market, the country’s unemployment rate would quadruple because tens of thousands of people will lose their jobs. We’re still meeting, and given the current situation, we may be forced to go on an indefinite strike.
Bread bakers and the Gurasa Bakers Association of Kano state have threatened to go on indefinite strike unless the flour businesses (BUA Group – IRS, Super Mill, and Golden Confectionery) reversed the price of flour, this was contained in an earlier story publish by other online platform.
Gurasa is a flour-based Kano indigenous local bread that is a popular delicacy among Hausa people in the state.
The Gurasa Bakers Association’s chairperson, Fatima Auwalu, stated that nothing has changed since they called off the warning strike; rather, it is increasing day by day, leading them to go on indefinite strike until authorities and stakeholders take action.
She went on to explain that, in addition to the price rise, the product’s quality has deteriorated, and that “this has significantly damaged our business.”