Reps ask FG to ban importation of foreign textiles
Chairman of the Main Organising Committee (MOC) of the ongoing National Sports Festival (NSF) and Director-General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, yesterday, said that over 10 million pieces of Adire clothing have been sold in just 10 days, citing the economic boom triggered by the festival.
He also noted that 9,940 athletes and officials were initially registered for the event, but the number had now surged to over 11,000, further intensifying economic activity across the state.
Olopade, who spoke during a media briefing at the ongoing Gateway Games 2024 in Abeokuta, said the massive turnout of athletes, officials, and tourists had significantly boosted commerce, especially for small and medium-scale enterprises.
He stressed that the Gateway Games 2024 had extended its economic benefits beyond Abeokuta, with venues spread across Ikenne and other parts of the state.
RELATEDLY, the House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to ban the importation of foreign textiles as a way of rejuvenating the production of local textile materials in the country.
The lawmakers argued that revitalising the textile industry would create employment, reduce social issues, boost revenue, diversify the economy and enhance socio-economic development in the country.
The Green Chamber, while adopting a motion by Garba Muhammed (NNPP-Kano) at the plenary, said that the Nigerian textile industries, with over 180 mills in operation in the 1960s and 1980s, had significantly impacted the manufacturing sector.
Muhammed said that the sector employed no fewer than 450,000 people and generated 67 per cent of the nation’s growth, thus making it the highest employer of labour.
The House, therefore, urged the Federal Ministry of Power to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment to provide necessary facilities, especially power supply, to local textile manufacturing companies to enhance quality outputs.
It further urged the Federal Ministries of Finance, Industry, Trade and Investment and other related agencies to encourage local textiles by providing soft loans and easy access to credit facilities through the Bank of Industry (BoI).
