By Steve Agbota

ASSOCIATION of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria (AMBCN), Lagos State chap­ter, has said it never autho­rised an increase in the price of bread from the prevailing prices in the state.

The clarification came as bread consumers in Lagos la­mented recent price increases slammed on the staple food by distributors across the state. According to the AMBCN, price of bread should be pocket-friendly as one of the cheapest foods for the com­mon man.

Some consumers who spoke to Daily Sun, disclosed that the prices of bread were increased by 10 per cent from N200 to N250 and N300 respectively, while the un­sliced one popularly known as ‘Agege bread’ moved from N100 to N120 and N150 and others from N150 to N200 and N220 depending on the size.

But speaking with Dai­ly Sun, the Chairman of AMBCN, Lagos chapter, Prince Jacob Adejorin, said the association has not in any way increased the price of bread in the state because of cassava inclusion, as the association is still managing the situation.

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He added: “I, as the Chair­man of Lagos State Master Bakers, has not increased the price of bread in Lagos State and I will not do soon. Any­body that increases the price of bread is not including cas­sava flour in bread making contrary to the Federal Gov­ernment policy. Government needs to stop some people who are making bread in their homes from selling to people at any price they wished as some of them contain bro­mate, which is poisonous to health.”

He said those who in­creased the price of bread in the state are not members of Master Bakers Association as all members of AMBCN in Lagos state are registered with NAFDAC use cassava inclu­sion in bread making.

On cassava inclusion compliance, he said the as­sociation has cried out to the Federal Government for in­clusion into the a-day-meal scheme that bakers’ cassava bread should be introduced to students. He urged government and its agencies like NAFDAC to encourage anybody who de­sires to set up baking business to register with the Association of Master Bakers of Nigeria.

Adejorin explained: “The lawyers have Law School where they can practice, ICAN mem­bers also have where they prac­tice, not to talk of the edible food that people are going to eat. Something that people are to eat should be under control. There must be an association like master bakers through Lagos State; even NAFDAC should ask those who are start­ing baking business to pro­duce their certificate of mem­bership before giving them NAFDAC registration paper.