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