By Foluso Adelaja
From tomorrow (Monday), Nigerians may have to pay more for loaves of bread as the protest strike of the associations of bakers ends today without any negotiation between them and government.
Associations of bread makers in the country, the Premium Bread Makers Association Of Nigeria and the Association Of Master Bakers And Caterers Of Nigeria have embarked on a nation wide strike to protest the rising cost of flour and other bread making ingredients in the market.
The bakers' described the strike which involved three states in the Southwest, Lagos, Ogun and Oyo as a warning strike to call government's attention to their plight.
A baker in Lawanson area of Surulere Local Government in Lagos who spoke with THE STATEPOST correspondent however said the bakers now have no choice than to increase the cost of bread in the market.
He pointed out that government has not yielded to the bakers' call for their intervention in arresting the continued rise of bread ingredients in the market hence the bakers have no choice than to increase the cost of bread.
He said it is "pure common sense, if the raw materials for any product increased, the cost of the finished product too will increase".
He told our correspondent that a bag of flour which they used to buy for 10,500 Naira now sells for 13,800 Naira and sugar rose astronomically from 7,500 Naira to 20,000 Naira.
He said that the market increase was not limited to flour and sugar alone as it affected all ingredients of bread making and catering.
The baker wondered why government refused to intervene in the matter as he was sure that increase in the market price of bread will affect almost all foods in the market as bread is a substitute for many staple food which include yam, garri and rice.
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