Bread bakers begin strike over high-cost of flour

By ADO ABUBAKAR MUSA, Jos

Bread bakers in Plateau State have begun a three-day strike over a hike in the price of flour and other ingredients used for making bread in the state.

The strike was said to have started on Tuesday following a complaint by the bakers in the price of bread ingredients.

Daily Trust reports that various bakeries have been closed down in protest to the hike in the price of bread ingredients especially flour which is the main ingredient of bread.

According to Daily Trust investigation, the bakers have been complaining about the price of the flour which had been on the increase for almost a year now. They said they are running at loss due to the increase.

When contacted on the development, the state Secretary of the Association of Master Baker and Caterer of Nigeria, Salis Abdullah said their members closed down the bakeries for sanitation to ensure good hygiene of their environment.

But a member of the association who is a baker confided in Daily Trust that the association went on strike because of their plan to increase the price of the bread in the state and that could only be done if the bread was not available.

Our correspondent who went round the town reports that there was no bread at various selling points and adding that thousands of consumers were lamenting over the development.

Many tea vendors have closed down their centres due to the scarcity of bread in the town, saying they could not sell the tea without the bread.

Ishak Salihu, a resident of Jos said, “They should have added whatever they want to add because the strike will not help the situation rather than worsening as other alternative food will be expensive if the situation continues.” (Daily Trust)