Writing By Awuhe Terfa, Editing By Yusuf Zubairu
The Senator Representing Edo North, Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhloe says the Nigeria first policy of the Tinubu administration has the propensity to revive textile industries in Nigeria.
To this end, the Senator said for any meaningful progress to be made towards revival of the textiles, the armed forces and paramilitary agencies must be compelled to source their uniforms locally.
He made this known at the 37th Education Conference Organized by the National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria NUTGTWN in conjunction with the Nigerian Textile, Garment and Tailoring Employers Association in Kaduna with the theme Industry, Labour and National Development.
Senator Oshiomhloe who is also a former General Secretary of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria said the revival of textile industries would lead to massive job creation, thereby translating to national growth and development.
Going down memory lane, the Senator who is a two term former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress and two term former Governor of Edo state alluded to the fact that the collapse of the textile Industries was as a result of reckless government policies.
He was emphatic in his submission that outlawing protectionist policies as was conceived by the World Trade Organization and decreed by the military, contributed in killing the textile industries in Nigeria.
On the Education Conference, Comrade Oshiomhloe commended sustenance of an initiative spearheaded during his time as General Secretary, stressing that an informed union has the capacity to fight towards building a country where citizens are not oppressed.
The Union’s National President Comrade Peters Godoun said the 2025 National Education Conference was unique in many ways as it combined three major milestones.
He maintained that the official renaming of the union’s national secretariat building after Senator Oshiomhole was done to honour years of committed service to the union and the nation as a whole.
He also pointed to the launch of the union’s Education Endowment Fund and the formal opening of a tailoring hub dedicated to empowering members in the informal sector.
According to the President, the initiatives symbolized deep commitment to education, innovation and solidarity which were the three pillars on which the union continues to thrive even in challenging times.
In a vote of thanks, the union’s General Secretary, Comrade Ali Baba decried a situation where some union officials especially those in the oil sector institute certain actions without thinking of the common workers.
He challenged such members to show what they have done to improve fortunes in the oil and gas sector, stressing that other NEC of the NLC Members have been vehement in condemning policies which do not favour the working class.
Highpoint of the event was the renaming of the union’s secretariat from Textile Labour House to Adam Oshiomhloe labour House.
Awuhe Terfa
