Residents of Kogi are to pay more for bread as bakers called off their four-day strike and increased prices of the essential commodity in the state.

On Tuesday, the bakers in Lokoja embarked on a strike to protest the high cost of flour, sugar and fuel, negatively affecting the production and distribution of bread across the state.

Gabriel Bamidele, chairman of the Kogi Bakers Association, told journalists on Saturday that prices of all categories and sizes of bread had increased following the harsh economic conditions in the country.

Mr Bamidele disclosed that the four-day strike had been called off with a slight increase in the price of bread.

“As an association, we have resolved that the first three small categories/sizes of bread will attract only a N50.00 increment, while the bigger ones will attract a N100.00 increment.

“This means a loaf that was sold for N100, N200 and N250 will now cost N150, 250 and N300.

“Also, the big ones that used to cost N800, N1000, N1200 and N1400 will now cost N900, N1100, N1300 and N1500 in the market.

“These increments became imperative in view of the high cost of flour, sugar, petrol and engine oil in the country today.

“We hope that the public will understand our plight and cooperate with us to keep us afloat in business,” he said.

The chairman explained that three months ago, a bag of flour cost between N38,000 and N40,000, while a bag of sugar cost between N58,000 and N60,000.

Today, a bag of flour is N58,000, while a bag of sugar is N85,000.

He added: “The cost of distribution is another, coupled with the increase in prices of engine oil, whose carton rose from N35,000 to N62,000.

“A car tyre that used to cost N18,000 is now N40,000, aside from the cost of petrol, which is between N650 and N700 per litre at the filling stations.”

He said that bakers now spend between N28,000 and N30,000 to distribute their bread across the state, very much above the N5,000 cost before.

“We all go to the same market and are very much aware of how costly things are due to the economic hardship in the country.

During the four-day strike, bread was almost off the streets, as only a few were seen on the shelves of some supermarkets and shops.

(NAN)