…harp on urgent need to revamp comatose textile industries
Members of the 10th House of Representatives on Tuesday underscored the need for the Federal Government to regulate the importation of foreign textiles into the country.
The resolution was passed sequel to the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon. Garba Muhammad.
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In his lead debate, Hon. Muhammad expressed grief over the current state of Nigerian textile industry, which had “over 180 mills in operation in the 1960s and 1980s, significantly impacted the manufacturing sector, employing nearly 450,000 people and generating 67% annual growth, making it the highest employer of labour.
“The House also notes that Nigeria possesses ample raw materials such as cotton and wool for textile production, which can boost local productivity and the economy.
“The House is aware that revitalising the textile industry will create employments reduce social issues, boost revenue, diversify the economy, and enhance socio-economic development in the country.
“The House is concerned over the significant decline in the textile industry over the last two decades, resulting in the layoff of thousands of workers from companies like Kaduna Textile, Kano Textile, Aba Textile, United Nigeria Textile, and First Spinners, among others.
“The House is also concerned that the discovery of oil in Nigeria resulted in decreased cotton production, a crucial raw material for the textile industry, thereby significantly impacting the textile sector.
“The House is worried that government policies such as higher taxation, expensive production costs, and trade liberalisation leading to extensive importation of textile materials, which have had a negative impact on
the production of local textiles,” he stressed.
Worried by the development, the lawmakers tasked President Bola Tinubu’s administration on the need to regulate the importation of foreign textiles into the country with a view to rejuvenate the production of local textile materials.
The lawmakers also urged Federal Ministry of Power to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment to provide necessary facilities, especially power supply, to local textile manufacturing companies to enhance quality outputs.
The House further urge Federal Ministries of Finance, Industry, Trade and Investment and other related agencies to encourage local textiles by providing soft loans and easy access to credit facilities through the Bank of Industry (BoI).
As part of its intervention, the House mandated the joint Committees on Industry and Commerce to conduct public hearing with relevant stakeholders in textile industries to review challenges of moribund textile sector and report within four weeks for further legislative action.
To this end, the House also mandated its Committee on Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance.
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