…Says Buhari should consult them
Lawrence Enyoghasu
The Premium Breadmakers Association of Nigeria (PBAN) has urged the Federal Government take its views in matters relating to bread consumption and innovations, warning that some innovations are substandard.
According to its President, Tosan Jemide, who stated this yesterday at the association’s first general meeting in Lagos, the bread industry is estimated at N122.1 billion and employs about 500,000 Nigerians.
“Before research is made, we should be consulted because most of these research need to be carried out at our bakeries.
The issue of using cassava is welcome but the percentage proposed by the government is not feasible; the 40 per cent suggested by the government will reduce the quality, and the bread will not be premium again. But if well researched and adopted, we think it will reduce the cost of flour and production,” he stated.
The association also reiterated that it would not take it easy on regulations defaulters, stating “we shall ensure quality assurance with consumers’ health being paramount in our mind,” he added.
He also gave reasons for the incessant increase in price of bread, saying that it is affected by the unstable nature of the economy. He, nevertheless, promised that quality will not drop.
“We are relying on the government to begin to look at the economy as a whole. Due to the state of the economy, some of our colleagues have shut down,” he stated.