News
Master Bakers May Shut Down In Rivers Soon … Say Production Cost, FG Policies Threatening Industry

Master Bakers in Rivers State may shut operations soon to protest the high cost of bread production in the state.
This is as they have lamented the increasing cost in the importation of wheat, sugar and other raw materials used in the production of bread in the country.
The Rivers State Chairman of Master Bakers and Cafeteria Association of Nigeria, Dr.Chidi Emmanuel Orlu, in an exclusive interview with The Tide, said the rising cost of producing bread threatened the bakery industry in the country.
The Tide’s investigations show that in recent times, the cost of bread has gone up by 70percent as a loaf of bread that hitherto sold for N500 now sells for N700.
Orlu, however, blamed the situation on the Federal Government’s unfavourable policies.
As far as the baking industry is concerned, the government policy is not friendly to us, he said.
He also blamed unhealthy competition and rivalry amongst bakers as some of the problems in the industry.
According to him, since the association does not have a regulatory power, baking business has become an all comers’ affair.
“In 2005, you sell (sold) more than 50percent of your production. You don’t (didn’t) have the challenge that you have today.
“Today, we spend a lot of money on packaging. Numbers of bakery have increased giving rise to unhealthy rivalry and competition.
“People come with impression of so much profit,”he said.
Orlu also blamed the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and other agencies of the government for not being alive to their responsibilities.
He alleged that NAFDAC and other regulatory bodies were more interested in revenue they generate from bakers than their statutory regulatory functions.
“The Association (Master Bakers) does not regulate. Regulation is the responsibility of the government through NAFDAC.
“Today, NAFDAC is interested in the revenue it generates from bakeries and others. The main control has taken a back stage”, he said.
He also decried the duplication of functions among government’s agencies such as the Ministry of Health, Public Health Department, Local Government Health Department, the state and federal fire services, among others, accusing them of sending one demand notices or the other.
“We have Ministry of Health, Public Health Department, we have Local Government Public Health Department, all controlling bakery. They send demand notices and each of them want money”, he said.
Orlu also noted that lack of proper regulation encouraged the entry of quacks into the baking business as many took the advantage to use banned substances to produce bread for public consumption.
He, therefore, appealed to the government to assist bakers with soft loans to enable them remain in business.
On the alleged planned withdrawal of service by master bakers in the state, he said the plan was to ensure that citizens continue to have access to bread.
“We decided to withdraw our services to alert citizens that if something is not done ,we will head to a point where bread will not be for the common man”.
He added that the proposed action was “to show that the problem of the industry is not caused by bakers, but is purely government policies and economic environment that we operate.
“This is just the essence of the withdrawals of services”.
Orlu also hinted of plans to increase the price of the products soon if the government refuses to do something about the cost of importing baking materials.
By: John Bibor
News
I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
News
RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
News
Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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