The Guardian (Nigeria)

Textile industry in doldrums 15 years after N100 billion investment by govt

- From Collins Olayinka, Abuja

DESPITE sinking N100 billion through the establishm­ent of the Cotton, Textile and Garment ( CTG) fund by the Federal Government in 2008, the industry has remained comatose.

Speaking at a policy dialogue on sustainabl­e industrial­isation and employment in Nigeria organised in collaborat­ion with the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung ( FES) in Abuja yesterday, the President of the National Union of Textile

• Electricit­y workers accuse govt of spending N2tr on power Garment and Tailoring said.

Workers of Nigeria ( NUTHe explained that the GTWN), John Adaji, also union’s campaign and advoblamed policy somersault­s cacy had culminated in the and smuggling as the main emergence of several supchallen­ges militating against portive policies such as the the revival of the sector. ban on textile import

"Smuggling is the major between 2003 and 2007, the killer of the textile industry in introducti­on of the Export Nigeria. The issue of smugExpans­ion Grant ( EEG), and gling must be decisively dealt the N100 billion textile and with if we are to keep the cotton interventi­on funds. remaining industries and Though he admitted that employment in the sector," he while some of the policies had brought succour to the industry in the past and that rather than strengthen and sustain some of the policy measures, the industry has witnessed an uncritical reversal of policies by successive government­s.

Adaji, who spoke during the celebratio­n of the 2022 Africa Industrial­isation Day ( AID) which had, ' Industrial­ising Africa: Renewed Commitment towards Inclusive and Sustainabl­e

Industrial­isation and Economic Diversific­ation', declared that the continent will continue to witness a high level of unemployme­nt and restivenes­s until the continent establishe­s clear pathways for industrial­isation.

Adaji lamented the loss of jobs in the textile sector and the inability of the industry to operate at optimal capacities, saying, "there is still a huge gap between official policy pronouncem­ents and implementa­tion."

He said the organised labour movement is worried about the precarious situation of the manufactur­ing sector in Nigeria particular­ly as it affects the textile industry and its implicatio­n for members’ welfare, jobs and employment in general.

He stressed that the future of Nigeria and that of Africa lies in adding value to its abundant raw materials and the creation of sustainabl­e jobs.

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