The Master Bakers and Caterers Association of Nigeria (MBCAN), Lagos chapter, appealed to the Federal Government to intervene in the distribution of cassava bread equipment to bakers.
The Chairman of the association, Mr Jacob Adejorin, told newsmen in Lagos on Saturday that only few bakers had benefited from government’s grants for the equipment.
He said that the equipment grant was made available through the Bank of Industry (BOI) to guarantee success of the ten per cent cassava flour inclusion in bread-making.
The Ministry of Agriculture and the Bank of Industry had in 2013 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for N2.2 billion in support of MBCAN for appropriate baking machines.
The initiative was to encourage bakers to buy new machines that will drive the policy of 10 per cent cassava flour inclusion in bread making.
Adejorin said that members of the association had completed documentations for the grant as mandated by BOI but that the fund had yet to be disbursed.
“The grant is supposed to be a 50-50 arrangement between the government and the bakers.
“The BOI is expected to release funds to the suppliers to cater for outright payment for the equipment while we are expected to repay 50 per cent of the total cost in installments.
“This implies that in the long run, the government pays 50 per cent while beneficiary pays the remaining 50 per cent with convenience,” he said.
The chairman, however, observed that the delay in the distribution might be due to the limited number of suppliers of the machine.
He added that only four bakers in Lagos State had received the equipment.
“Three firms have been engaged to supply the equipment which comprised of mixers and baking machines.
“The process is very cumbersome and causing unnecessary delay in the implementation of the policy,” he said.
Adejorin, however, commended the government for the grant and particularly for training bakers on proper usage of the equipment, recalling that 140 bakers were trained in 2014.
He advised the government to empower local manufacturers of these machines to improve on their technology to meet the needs of bakers.
The chairman also commended the government for empowering cassava farmers to increase their output to meet demands of cassava flour of bakers.
“They have been doing well in terms of producing high quality cassava flour.
“We have been receiving huge supply from Epe, Badagry and Abeokuta.
“A 50kg bag of cassava flour is usually between N5000 and N6000. This is a fair price,” he said.
Adejorin dismissed insinuations that bread made of ten per cent cassava flour had foul odour, stating that the bread was highly nutritious.