THE National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTWN, has called on the Federal Government to take urgent steps to review its policies and consider tax wavers for textile industries to encourage investment and fair competition.
President of NUTGTWN, Comrade John Adaji made the appeal on Monday at the union’s.Policy Dialogue on Sustainable Industrialisatoon and Employment in Nigeria in ccollaboration with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, FES, held in Abuja.
Comrade Adaji contended that textile industry remains the key driver of sustainable jobs and development for most national economies of developing nations like Nigeria
He, however submitted that, “There is still a huge gap between official policy pronouncements and implementation. Even with all these positive indications, there are still a number of challenges.
“The current state of affairs in the country and the continent in general necessitates the need for us to intensify our advocacy and campaign for sustainable industrialization and employment. We are concerned about the precarious situation of the manufacturing sector in Nigeria particularly as it affects the textile industry and its implication for our members’ welfare, jobs and employment in general.
“Employment in the textile industry continues to decline with attendant decline in union membership.”
Continuing, he said, “The point cannot be overstated. The future of Nigeria and Africa lies in adding value to its abundant raw materials and creation of sustainable jobs. Employment generation and employment retention as well as poverty eradication largely depend on the amount of value-addition through industrialisation and degree of diversification of the economy.
“Textile Industry remains the key driver of sustainable jobs and development for most national economies of developing nations like Nigeria.
