The newly inaugurated Royal Bakers and Flour Users Association of Ghana (ROBAFUA) is urging government to introduce targeted interventions to ease the pressure on the local baking industry, which it says is struggling under rising production costs and limited access to financing.
Speaking at the association’s official inauguration in Kumasi, President Mrs. Philomena Boakye said bakers across the country are currently grappling with high flour prices, expensive energy tariffs, and difficulties securing affordable loans to expand their businesses.
According to her, urgent policy support is needed to keep the industry viable and protect jobs along the value chain.
“We are appealing to the government to assist us in securing loans from MASLOC. This will enable us to acquire the necessary equipment to grow our businesses and generate more employment opportunities for young people, particularly graduates who remain unemployed,” she said.
Mrs. Boakye also called for a reduction in import duties on key raw materials used in baking, as well as access to single-digit interest loans through institutions such as MASLOC and the Ghana Export–Import Bank (GEXIM) to support equipment upgrades and business expansion.
She described baking not just as a trade, but as a critical sector for job creation, food security, and local industrial growth.
As government pushes its flagship 24-Hour Economy policy, the ROBAFUA President urged authorities to engage bakers and flour users in its rollout, noting that many members already operate round the clock and could contribute significantly to its success.
“We are also taking this opportunity to appeal to the government to consult us bakers in its efforts to roll out the twenty-four-hour economy, since we have long been operating round the clock,” she added. “We are also urging the government to include us in the National School Feeding Programme to help our businesses expand.”
Beyond policy support, Mrs. Boakye announced plans by the association to introduce training and apprenticeship programmes aimed at creating structured opportunities for young people, especially graduates, and positioning baking as a more attractive and profitable career path.
At the same event, the Ashanti Regional Public Relations Officer of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Daniel Yaw Geraldo, reminded members of the need to strictly adhere to food safety and quality standards. He urged bakers to maintain proper hygiene in their production processes and ensure all products are approved by the FDA before being released to the market.
ROBAFUA also pledged to work closely with regulatory bodies such as the FDA, the Ghana Standards Authority, and the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) to strengthen standards in the sector and promote “Made in Ghana” bakery products.
The association says it is committed to improving quality and ethics in the industry, with the goal of ensuring that every loaf, pastry, and snack produced meets acceptable national standards.