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From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) has warned northern governors against plans to sell the moribund Kaduna Textiles Limited (KTL).
The union demanded that the governors invest in the resuscitation of the Kaduna textile industry to create jobs for Nigerians and payment of outstanding entitlements of laid off workers amounting to over N687 million.
NUTGTWN President, John Adaji, in an Eid-el-Kabir celebration message said the union would mobilise members to stall any plan to sell the company at a time some workers were suffering untold hardship due to long lay off without payment of their terminal benefits.
“The union’s attention has been drawn to plan to sell some of the assets of Kaduna Textiles Limited (KTL). We shall mobilise our members and take all legal means to stop any sale of the company’s assets not geared towards settling the outstanding benefits of the workers in line with the court order since 2005. We wish to reiterate our call on northern governors to take necessary steps to revive Kaduna Textiles Limited (KTL). The union is ever ready to support any effort to resuscitate KTL, including getting prospective investors willing to invest in the company. Textile industry remains the key driver of sustainable jobs and development for most national economies of developing nations like Nigeria. We commend the practical initiatives and efforts by the Federal government to revive the cotton, textile and garment (CTG) sector as part of the effort of the current administration to diversify the economy and create mass decent employment.”
While appealing to the governors to offset debts owed retrenched workers, Adaji said urgent settlement of their entitlements, including support to them and their families, would go a long way in reducing their burden and alleviating their increasing destitution, poverty and desperation.
Kaduna Textiles Limited (KTL) is the oldest textile company in Nigeria and indeed Africa and the proud legacy of the late Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello.
