ABUJA (State House Report) – “The priority of my administration is to create as many jobs as possible.” said, President Muhammadu Buhari.
While speaking at an audience with the National Executive Council of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers, led by its President, Comrade John Adaji, at the State House, recently, President Buhari informed them that in the last four years, the Federal Government had deployed limited resources to job-creating sectors like Agriculture and Mining.
He revealed to them that his administration had introduced Executive Orders that encouraged the procurement of Made in Nigeria goods and services in Nigeria and promised that he would continue to support the above policies and programmes in the years ahead.
The President lamented the closure of textile factories especially in the North which gave rise to crimes; he assured that he will promote policies that would support local industries such as import restrictions.
He further referred to his recent directive to all government uniformed institutions to use locally produced garments, where he believes that incredible number of jobs will be created when the Military, Police, Para-Military organisations including the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), fully patronise local industries.
He urged State Governments to buy into this policy for their schools, hospitals and other institutions.
On the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) which Nigeria recently signed, the President said, “We have developed a comprehensive strategy to fully optimise the benefits with necessary safeguards in place.” He stressed that our priority remains to create jobs in Africa for Africans using a large proportion of African raw materials.
The General Secretary of the Union, Comrade Issa Aremu, who spoke on behalf of the Union, commended President Buhari for being the first Nigerian leader to grant the 41-year-old body an audience, and making the revival of the textile industry a campaign topic.
He lamented the closure of hundreds of textile factories which accommodated millions of Nigerian workers and pledged his support to the administration.
President Buhari was decorated as the Life Patron of the Union in appreciation of his textile-friendly efforts.
Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
