By Jethro Ibileke/Benin
The National Vice President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Issa Aremu, has said that for Nigerians to take the recent re-orientation of change, launched by President Muhammadu Buhari serious, it must begin in his cabinet.
He said this Thursday at the 28th Annual National Education Conference of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) and the Nigerian Textile, Garment and Tailoring Employers Association (NTGTEA).
According to Aremu, “The new change mantra must start from the textile industry. The President, Vice President, Ministers, must appear in made in Nigeria textiles.
“Our school uniforms, military and para-military uniforms, uniforms of the NYSC should be made in Nigeria with Nigerian fabrics, we must patronise what we produce at home. Secondly, we need uninterrupted power supply because the cost of production is very high.”
Also speaking at the event, the National President of NUTGTWN, John Adaji, called on President Buhari to shift from rhetoric to practical actions about the nation’s textile industry, saying that the achievement of the President can only be measured by the success he is able to achieve in reviving the textile sector.
In his speech, the Director General, NTGTEA, Hamman Kwajjaffa, called for a bail out for the textile industry, adding that poor electricity supply remained a major challenge in reviving the ailing textile sector.
Besides, he lamented that smugglers have taken over the textile market, bringing goods from Asia and other parts of Europe, pointing out the height of the compromise in the sector was the recent raid by the Nigerian Customs of some warehouses where smuggled textile materials worth N350 billion were seized.
Responding on behalf of the federal government, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment, Hajia Aisha Abubakar said it is working out ways to ensure that made in Nigeria textile is patronise by Nigerians.
Hajia Abubakar who was represented by a Director in the Ministry, Barnabas Jatau, disclosed that there is presently an ongoing discussion with Nigeria military and Para-military, to patronise made in Nigeria textile for their uniforms.
While noting that this is one of the government plan to revive the textile industry in the country, the minister said other plans include reduction in the cost of production, as well as checking smuggling.
According to her, the government is presently in a high level discussion with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), on how to stop smuggling of textiles materials into the country through the nation’s border posts.
“The other plan is to reduce production cost, especially in the reduction in the cost of gas. We are working out ways to change gas pricing from dollar to naira.
“The federal government is passionate about reviving the industry, which is why we are working our ways to see that our military and other security agencies use Nigeria textile for their uniforms,” she said.
While noting that this is one of the government plan to revive the textile industry in the country, the minister said other plans include reduction in the cost of production, as well as checking smuggling.
According to her, the government is presently in a high level discussion with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), on how to stop smuggling of textiles materials into the country through the nation’s border posts.
“The federal government is passionate about reviving the industry, which is why we are working our ways to see that our military and other security agencies use Nigeria textile for their uniforms,” she said.