Govt Committee Recommends N37.2bn Investment to Revive Textile Industry
President Mohammadu Buhari
Adebiyi Adedapo in Abuja
The federal government committee set-up to examine and map out strategies towards resuscitation of Nigeria's moribund Cotton, Textile and Garment (CTG) industry, has recommended that investment of N37.2 billion to revive the industry.
The federal government committee set-up to examine and map out strategies towards resuscitation of Nigeria's moribund Cotton, Textile and Garment (CTG) industry, has recommended that investment of N37.2 billion to revive the industry.
This committee also revealed that there is a reduction in the number of textile industry from 182 in the 1980s to 34 industries that was now running.
President Mohammadu Buhari had directed the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) to set-up committees to address salient problems in fours sectors.
The four committees include Committee on Resuscitation of Cotton, Textile and Garments Industry in Nigeria, committee on the Operationalisation of Federal
Reserve Storage Facilities, committee for Strategic Action Plan for
Development of Grazing Reserves and Stock Routes nationwide and the committee for Revitalisation of Agricultural Extension Services in Nigeria.
However, The CTG committee while submitting its recommendation alongside other committees noted that the revival of the moribund industry would require the injection of N37.2 billion in the sector between the period of 2016-2019.
The resuscitation, according to the committee would as well require exploitation of the N100 billion CTG fund domicile with the Bank of Industry.
Chairman of the committee, Damilola Eniayeju pointed out that the proposed fund would support as working capital of operational textile mills and resuscitation of about 80 closed mills as well as 23 closed ginneries. The fund would also support all sections of the cotton, textile and garment sector.
The committee also recommended that a deliberate effort should be deployed by both federal and state government to promote local fabrics.
“This would enable the country have sense of belonging like what is being done in the rice sector and make textile sector boom,” he said.
The committee identified smuggling and dumping of foreign textile materials from Asian countries , lack of electricity supply, poor access to water among others as problems confronting the industry.
Meanwhile, the committee on Grazing Reserves and stock Routes Nationwide attributed the frequent clashes between herdsmen and farmers to urbanisation lack of right to land.
This according to the committee increased livestock production activities, which in turn, limited the success, envisaged from the various interventions.
The committee called for the establishment of a National Programme on Grazing Reserves and Stock Routes development, and strengthening of existing conflict resolution and prevention mechanisms.
It recommended establishment of a National Livestock Development Authority that would have the mandate for the implementation of a national livestock breeding policy, while also pushing for the development of grazing reserves and Stock Routes.
The committee on the Revitalisation of Agricultural Extension Services urged the Federal Government of Nigeria to set up the necessary mechanism for the formulation of a National policy on Agricultural Extension and Advisory services as a matter of urgency, which must include a sustainable, knowledge-based, market-oriented and ICT-driven Value Chain extension system.
The committee recommended the establishment of an adequate and consistent source of fund for agricultural extension advisory service at all levels of government, backed by legislation. It stressed the need for the strengthening of the Federal Department of Agricultural Extension to enable it formulate Policy, co-ordinate, regulate and supervise extension service delivery in Nigeria.
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