…As governors earmark $88,000 for revival of Kaduna Textile

By Bimbola Oyesola

Organised Labour has urged the Federal Government to expand the membership of the National Industrial Council to include labour and state governors if the council would deliver on its mandate.

This is even as the northern states’ governors have earmarked $88,000 for the revival of  Kaduna Textile Mill (KTL).

Speaking at the opening of the 29th Annual National Education Conference of the National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) in Sokoto yesterday, the General Secretary, Issa Aremu, said  that industry and investment were too important to be left with investors alone. 

Though, he commended President Muhammed Buhari for setting up the the council, he, however,  stated that the council should be expanded to include the states as all the industries are in the states.  

“In any case,  with respect to textile, it started with the state, then regional governments, and government with the first textile mill ( KTL)  in Kaduna”, he said.

Noting that this year marks 60 years of textile production in Nigeria, as KTL was established in 1957 by the late Sir Ahmadu Bello, the first and last Premier of the Northern region, Aremu said it is expedient for the government to revive all the moribund textile industries and this can be done with the support of labour and the states.

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He said: “We hereby call on the federal and state governments to restore the industry to the golden days of production and job creations. The northern governors should restore the status of the north  to its respected status as an investment/job destination by reviving KTL and reinvent more industries.”

Aremu also  commended Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal  of Sokoto State  on the initiative of  setting up a textile factory in Sokoto State.

The labour leader said Tambuwal was also in the forefront of the northern governors’ efforts at reviving the Kaduna Textile Mill.

The NUTGTWN general secretary, who explained that he was at a meeting of the governors in July where the decision on the revival was taken, said the revival estimated to cost  $88,000,000 is with the support of some investors from Turkey.

“While a governor at the forum, was eager to dismiss the report to revive the great legacy of Sardauna, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal commendably stood for the revival plan”, he said.

He stated that though Buhari’s commitment to industrial revival, as part of diversification, was commendable, this, he said, should not be replacing collapsed oil revenue with monies from solid minerals. 

According to him, “what Nigeria needs is value addition and industrialisation as contained in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).

We must produce and make what we consume and wear  what we produce to create sustainable jobs for the millions of unemployed youths. We also need a bold vision and development ambition.”