Nigeria’s textile sector can generate 2.5 million jobs
By Tanko Mohammed
The Industrial Global Union has reported that the textile sector could assist Nigeria to achieve the creation of 100 million job over the next 10 years.
Mr Issa Aremu, Vice President of the Union has called on President Muhammadu Bihari to commence the resuscitation of textile industries which he said could generate “quickly”, over 2.5 million jobs.
Aremu made the call at one day interactive session the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) with the Organised Labour and other stakeholders on the 5-year policy Trust of CBN – (2019 – 2024) on Saturday in Lokoja.
He said that through the CBN intervention in cotton production, the narratives had changed from cotton shortages to cotton abundance and the country should no longer import cotton from Benin Republic.
Aremu who is also the General Secretary, National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NVTGTWN) said, “Now, the challenge is that many ginneries have come back and are ginning the cotton seeds and now it is to move to milling including weaving, spinning and the final product.
“You won’t believe it, As I’m talking to you now, uniforms of personnel of Nigeria Customs Services, men and women; uniforms of the Police uniform of the Army are produced in Bangladesh and India.
“Consider the security implications among other things. You know what, the few textile industries remaining have the capacity to produce them (the uniforms) and not only that.
“We can even use it to kick-start new factories and you can imagine if we all agree that all uniforms of primary to secondary schools’ children should be produced locally many of the garment factories will come back and can get these youths gainfully employed.
“They can be kidnapping jobs not kidnapping human beings. You know this the way it should be.
“So what I’m saying is that as President Muhammadu Buhari commendably said he wants to create 100 million jobs in the next 10 years. Textile alone can generate quickly, about 2.5 million jobs”, he said.
Aremu urged that same thing same thing be allowed to happen in other sectors like construction and pharmaceuticals saying, “You know we ride all kinds of exotic cars but where are the Assembly Plants?
“We used to have Volkswagen, we used to have Peugeot, Fiat, trucks in Kano, Styer in Bauchi and this the only way you can create decent jobs in all sectors.”