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From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Apparently worried by rising socio-economic hardship in the country, the National Union of Textiles, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) have urged President Bola Tinubu to save the nation from collapse by reversing the economic policy that have affected Nigerians negatively.
The President of NUTGTWN, John Adaji lamented that the present state of the nation, demands a rethink of the fuel subsidy removal which had thrown Nigeria’s economic into disarray, saying that President Tinubu should be courageous enough in reversing the policy and save millions of Nigerians from poverty, hardship, hunger and anger.
Adaji who laid the foundation of the multi-million Naira Textiles Union’s Guest House and Training Centre, in Kaduna at the weekend said that the economic policies of the present administration have negatively affected the country’s economy, particularly the Textiles and other manufacturing sector.
He said: “we have policies that have been designed by good Nigerians, but the problem we have is the political will of government to execute some of the policies”.
Adaji insists: “I do not see anything wrong in reversing what you had earlier planned to do if you discovered that what you started is not taking you to where you want to be. I say so because the current hardship, hunger and anger in the country have remote and immediate causes. And you will agree with me that the immediate causes of all these problems is the reversal of oil subsidy.
“Whatever is happening negatively in the economy today, everything has a link to it. And as a government; if the government is for the people and by the people, to reverse the policy where it is necessary, there is nothing wrong about it”.
Lamenting further on the downward trend in the economy, the Textiles Union President said, “what were the issues adduced to the removal of the subsidy- cost of maintaining the subsidy, they said certain people were racketeering around it and manipulating figures and Government’s payment to only the benefit of those few people.
“So, because of your failure in attitude to curtail the very behaviour of these people then you throw millions of Nigerians into hardship and suffering and anger. You must be courageous enough. Otherwise, you are not mature to lead”.
The Union President also stated that the comatose nature of the Textiles industry and manufacturing sector of the economy should be of concern to government, noting that “in the very old days Textiles used to be the largest employer of labour, second to Government”.
“If we are to address the critical issues of unemployment which has a vicious circle, leading to insecurity and other social vices you must address the problems in the textiles sector”, he said.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Secretary General of the Union, Comrade Baba Ali said that the Textiles Union decided to embark on the construction of the Guest House and Training Centre, for a befitting legacy for the members despite the economic crunch in the country.
END.
