The Imo State chapter of the Association of Master Bakers and Caterers (AMCN), has sacked over 15000 workers due to an increase in the cost of production materials and shortfall in profit.
The State chairman of the association, Chief Osmond Nkeoma, who addressed journalists in Owerri explained that the action was necessary following the increase in prices of items, especially for bread production.
According to Nkeoma, the retrenchment of the staff would affect 102 bread factories in the State which would shut down business from Monday, August 2, 2021.
“We believe that if the State government intervenes, these actions may be averted,” AbeyaNews quoted the association chairman.
“In other States, counterpart funds are given, even bailout for COVID-19 given in other States eludes us. It is important to inform you here that we having been producing in the past three months at a loss,” he added.
He noted that despite the increase in the price of the commodities for bread production, two major producers of flour had been reported to have suspended operation because of high exchange rates even as he feared more would follow soon.
Nkeoma further disclosed that if the measures taken by the bakers association to enhance the production of bread did not yield any result, bread factories in the State would have to shut down indefinitely.
He, therefore, appealed to the State government to come to their aide and stop the mass loss of jobs in the state.