Buhari mandates CBN, ITF to fund textile workers

Tribune Online
Buhari mandates CBN, ITF to fund textile workers

President Mohammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, mandated the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) to provide special funds for the training of members of the National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring  Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN), to sustain Executive Order 003.

Speaking while declaring open the 31st Annual National Education Conference of (NUTGTWN) in Abuja, President Buhari, also stated that the continued closure of the Nigeria borders and import restriction is to encourage local production and benefit local industries.

Represented by the Registrar, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, Prof. Josiah Ajiboye, the President said the CBN and ITF should provide the training required for NUTGTWN and its members to meet up with the quality and quantity required in the production of local fabrics expected by the implementation of the Executive Order 003.

President Buhari said: “The existing 40,000 garment and textile workers must be trained and retrained, I will use this opportunity to call on the CBN to collaborate with your union and the ITF to come in and encourage the union to provide funds to train and retrain the textile workforce in Nigeria.”

He pointed out that the NUTGTWN has the capacity to transform Nigeria’s rural economy and revive the sector to bring about industries by creating more than 2 million jobs, adding, “we are going to ensure that the garment industry is expanded.”

He pointed out that in accordance with the Executive Order 003, the CBN had signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with the Service Chiefs and Chief Executives of Security Services to patronize locally made fabrics, adding that the development was already yielding fruits.

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Buhari said: “In recent time, the CBN has taken a number of commendable efforts to encourage patronage of local fabrics towards driving economic policy. After series of engagements, the CBN initiated the signing of an unprecedented MoU between the Service Chiefs, Chief Executives of uniform services and textile garment manufacturers on the enforcement of Executive Order 003; on the support of local content procurement, and I am glad to report to you that this is already yielding positive fruits.

“I am happy to tell you that all the uniform agencies, the military, and para-military agencies are key-in already into this local initiative to make sure that they patronize our local garment industries for their uniforms.”

The General Secretary, NUTGTWN, Comrade Issa Aremu, commended the Federal Government for the closure of land borders towards ending smuggling of goods into the country; and pointed out that the move was impressive, as it has aided local production and consumption of goods.

Comrade Aremu stressed the need to sustain current efforts and support the Nigeria customs to fight smuggling, adding that garment industries has been boosted in the country.

He said: “We will like to commend the efforts of the Federal Government in the closure of its land borders, this has helped in total overhaul of the textile and garment industries in the country. It is already on record that the textile industries are now making money, smugglers and importers have gone into hiding, we should support the Nigeria Customs.

He, however, added that the border closure should not be permanent, but should be sustained for the main time.

Comrade Aremu stated that within 31 years of existence of the union, industrial peace and Harmony had been sustained through the principles of collective bargaining, and added that the association has also signed 46 national agreements for development.

He called on the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) to increase its intervention on worker’s training and skills development, as this has become imperative as the future of work was being threatened by technology.

Citing the recent example of over $9 billion PI and D gas contract scam; Comrade Aremu advised the Federal Government to be wary of foreign investors who use diverse schemes to swindle the country’s wealth.

Buhari mandates CBN, ITF to fund textile workers
Tribune Online