The Flour Milling Association of Nigeria has commissioned baking equipment worth over N8 million at its baking School in Lagos which is operated in partnership with Yaba College of Technology. Since inception in 2007, the baking school has trained over 320 bakers in 9 streams with the 9th stream of students which graduated last week.
Speaking at the baking equipment commissioning event, Vice Chairman, FMAN and Managing Director, Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, Mr. Olanrewaju Jaiyeola said “It is our pleasure to come together on a day like this to further demonstrate our collective resolve to support the growth of small scale enterprises in the baking industry through the commissioning of new baking equipment. We believe that these new equipment which include 36KVA oven, dough mixer, cake mixer, dough proofer, deep fryer amongst others will further support the training of bakers in collaboration with Yaba College of Technology.”
Jaiyeola added that the Association, which comprises all flour milling companies in Nigeria, will look to partner with other credible institutions in other parts of the country to replicate the success of the FMAN/Yabatech baking school partnership.
Also, Group Managing Director, Flour Mills of Nigeria. Mr Paul Gbededo, said the flour milling industry is only second to agriculture in terms of employment generation with over 450,000 bakeries across the country and a long value chain of beneficiaries.
FMAN, according to him, is proud to be working with the government in the areas of research towards local wheat growing which will subsequently lead to local wheat sufficiency.
In her remarks, The Rector, Yaba College of Technology, Dr. (Mrs) Margaret Kudi Ladipo said the institution was proud to partner with Flour Milling Association of Nigeria to deliver quality education to bakers and confectioners.