House Urges FG to Enforce 2017 Executive Order 003

*Says it will compel Nigerians to patronise indigenous textile manufacturers

Juliet Akoje in Abuja.

The House of Representatives, yesterday, urged the federal government to ensure implementation and enforce compliance with Executive Order 003 of 2017 as well as embark on awareness campaigns to sensitize Nigerians on the benefits of patronising indigenous textile manufacturers.
The also urged the Nigerian Armed Forces, Nigeria Police Force, the Federal Inland Revenue Service, the National Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Nigeria Customs Service, the Federal Fire Service, and other uniformed government organisations to patronise the National Union of Textile, Garment, and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) to purchase their fabrics.

Consequently, the House further urged the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment to revive the textile industry in Nigeria and provide a conducive environment that would attract both indigenous and foreign investments in the sector for sustainable economic development.
These resolutions followed the adoption of a motion on the Need to Compel Uniformed Government Organisations to Patronise the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) moved by Hon. Esosa Iyawe at plenary on Thursday.

Iyawe noted that the textile sector represents a major hub of economic activity in most developing societies and has always been a major player in the manufacturing sector of Nigeria’s economy.

He also noted that the Nigerian textile industry used to be the largest employer of labour after government, with companies like Kaduna Textile Ltd. (KTL), United Nigerian Textile Plc., Supertex, Nortex Nigerian Ltd., Aswani Textiles, Gaskiya Textiles Mill, Kano Textile Ltd., Aba Textiles, Zamfara Textiles Ltd., Asaba Textiles Ltd., and several others that most countries in the east and west African sub-region depended on for their clothing needs.

While presenting the motion,  he raised a Concern that when the federal government lifted the ban on textile importation in 1997, the textile sector took a massive nosedive as companies began to close down one after the other, and even after efforts by subsequent governments to mitigate the adverse effects, the industry has continued to suffer due to low patronage from Nigerians as well as inadequate support from the government through effective policies to address the situation.

He recalled that in 2017, via Executive Order 003, the federal government compelled all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) of government to grant preference to local manufacturers and service providers in their procurement of goods and services.
The House However mandated its Committees on Industry and Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance.