Bakers set to increase bread prices

Anna Okon

The high cost of baking ingredients may push bread prices up, bakers have warned.

The Premium Bread Makers Association of Nigeria gave this warning on Monday at a press briefing in Lagos.

“The challenges we face as a result of the incessant increase in the prices of baking ingredients have rendered most premium bakeries comatose making us to operate at a loss,” the President of the association, Mr Jemide Tosan, stated.

The association noted that whereas the prices of flour, sugar and other baking ingredients had increased threefold in the past three years, there had been no corresponding increase in the prices of premium bread by the PBAN members.

It said between 2015 and 2018, the price of flour had increased from N6,500 to N11,500 per 50kg bag, while sugar had seen 77 per cent rise in price in the same period, with salt, margarine, yeast and preservatives had recorded 84 per cent, 67 per cent, 112 per cent, 45 per cent and 137 per cent increases, respectively.

Also, the price of diesel, which is used to power factory generators on a 24-hour basis, had gone up by 57 per cent, while the price of improvers used in enhancing the quality of bread had risen by 160 per cent during the period, the association stated, adding that conversely, the price of bread had only witnessed 11 per cent rise within the period.

“Most of us got loans with double-digit interest rates from financial institutions to fund our bakery projects and are finding it extremely difficult to meet our loan repayment obligations,” Tosan noted, adding that something had to be done to save the industry from extinction.

He said, “Given the current situation, most premium bakeries may be forced to embark on a price increase, which will further make bread unaffordable to the common man.

“As an association, we are totally committed to ensuring that Nigerians have healthy, quality, affordable and harmless bread on their tables.

Lagos Transport Reform: 4,000 bus conductors register With LASDRI

4,000 bus conductors register following Lagos State Transport Reform – More than 4,000 members of the Bus Conductor Association of Nigeria (BCAN) have registered with Lagos State Drivers Institute (LASDRI) for training and accreditation.

Mr Isreal Adeshola, President of the association, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday.

According to him, the development will enable them function as stipulated in the rules and regulations of the state government in line with the transportation reform.

“Over 4,000 members are fully ready to operate along with the new Lagos State transportation reform.

“We have attended LASDRI for accreditation and also to the Directorate of Transport Commuters Service to get various identification badges including our uniforms.

“We want to assure the people and the government that our members are fully for the state transformation on transport system.

“All these we have done to get prepared for the state development plan in the transport system,’’ he said.

The official said that there were over 270, 000 bus conductors in the state, adding that over 4,000 of them had registered as members officially.

According to him, the association has been telling members that very soon conductor work will no longer be business as usual.

“The association had trained and ensured that registered members get accredited by the concern authority to ensure accountability and effectiveness on duty.

“BCAN wants to ensure no more jumping and hanging on the buses anyhow.

“We are in line with the state government’s plan on the new transport reform and we enjoin others in the system to key into the system and get registered,’’ he said.

Adeshola appealed to the state government to carry members of the association along with the ongoing reform.

“We need government to assist us along with the ongoing reform in the transport sector.

“If the government is building the country or a state without carrying the youths along or involving them in the system the development may not be sustainable,’’ he added.

NAN reports that Lagos state government is set to roll out buses to service routes on the Oshodi-Abule Egba axis, with the arrival of 250 buses in line with the transport reform.

Mr Ladi Lawanson, the State Commissioner for Transport, had told NAN that the routes for deployment of the buses had been identified.

“In the last couple of months, we did the commissioning of the Ikeja Terminal, which was meant to be the flagship.

“The Ikeja Terminal was signaling the beginning of what was going to be the entire project, consisting of 13 terminals including Oyingbo, Yaba.

“The first set of buses have come and we are using the Ikeja axis as a laboratory where we are going to roll out from,” he said.

The post 4,000 bus conductors register following Lagos State Transport Reform appeared first on Lagos Television.

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Dr. Yinka Ayandele Bags Two Awards In A Week

The Tutor General/Permanent Secretary of Lagos Education District One, Agege has added another sets of feathers to her cap of recognitions for her exemplary leadership and excellence performances.

The two awards came within the spate of a week in a remarkable fashion. The first, was an award of recognition by the Association of Professional Counselors (APROCON) during its annual conference in Lagos on Tuesday August 22, 2017. Dr. Ayandele was recognised alongside other five TGPSs in Lagos for supporting the Counseling profession in their various schools.

While still savouring on the first award, we gathered that she got an invite from the Lagos State chapter of the Women Advancement For Economic And Leadership Empowerment In Africa (WAELE), to attend the body's inauguration of new executives and empowerment of 100 (One Hundred) widows event.

To her surprise, we learnt, she was called to the stage to receive an Award of Excellence.

Lagos State First Lady, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, Dr. Basirat Nahibi, State of Osun Deputy Governor,  Mrs Grace Titilayo Laoye Tomori, Alhaja Titilola Agbalajobi and Mrs Olubunmi Omotunde Windapo were also awarded.

Other awardees were, The General Manager of LTV 8, Mrs Funke Moore, Hon. Jumoke Jumbo Adeyemi, Princess Toyin Ibrahim, Alhaja Okulu Saliu and the only male on the list; The Oba of Yoruba in the Republic of Ireland, HRM Oba Saheed Olamilekan Ibrahim.


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