As Nigeria workers Celebrate the 2025 Workers Day the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) has applauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Administration for the establishment of the Textile and Garment Development Board.
This is contained in a Statement signed and issued to newsmen in kaduna by Peters Godonu and Ali Baba, President and General Secretary of the Union, respectively.
The union commends the present administration for walking to re-industrialize the country and also initiating steps to revive the textile and garment industry.
The Union notes that Vice President Kashim Shettima’s call for a resuscitation of the garment industry that once clothed the people is a reminder of the strategic importance of the sector to Nigerians and the nation’s economy in general.
“The goal is not just regulation. It is a revival. This is our opportunity to re-industrialize, to empower communities and to restore pride in local production,”
“The Council, among other progressive resolutions, reportedly approved the proposal for the establishment of the Textile and Garment Development Board as the regulatory body for the cotton, textile and garment sector of Nigeria”.
“The board, when set up, will be domiciled in the Presidency and will be private sector-driven, with representation from relevant public sector stakeholders and funded from the Textile Import Levy being collected by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS)”.
“It will have governors representing the six geo-political zones, with Ministers of Agriculture and Food Security, Budget and Economic Planning including that of Industry, Trade and Investment as members”.
The union believes that the Board will help to ensure regular upgrade of the textile value chains, improve labor productivity, maximize value-addition and formulate strategies and programs that will reposition Nigeria’s textile sector for global competitiveness.
It acknowledges and welcomes this bold step by the Federal Government as a clear demonstration of the commitment to revive Nigeria’s textile industry, which has suffered years of neglect and decline.
The union underscores government’s recognition of the sector’s critical role in job creation, industrial growth and national economic development.
On the occasion of this year’s May Day commemoration the Union salutes her members, the entire Nigerian work force and workers worldwide as they celebrate the dignity of labor and the role of workers in the fight for democracy and social justice.
The union further reaffirms her commitment to improving core areas of activities namely; collective bargaining, union organization, membership drive, national solidarity, campaigns and advocacy.
Others include workers’ education, health and safety, gender rights, publication and documentation as well as social security for members.
It pledges unwavering commitment to an improvement in wages and general working conditions of union members.
The union affirms that it will strengthen campaigns for improved productivity and at the same time, maintain zero tolerance to exploitation and violation of workers’ rights.
It says the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) enjoins affiliate unions to use the occasion to advocate national industrialization policies that prioritize job creation, fair wages and social protection within the context of the theme “Industrialization, Trade and Decent Work for Social Justice.”
The theme highlights the urgent need to harness industrialization and trade as transformative forces that can generate decent employment, foster sustainable economic growth and promote equity and dignity for African workers.
Awuhe Terfa
