NUTGTWN tasks FG on industrialisation for economic growth

The President, National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN,) Comrade Peter Godonu has suggested ways for a robust and sustainable industrial development of Nigeria and Africa.

He urged the government, workers, and labours to come together and collaborate in a coordinated manner targeted at building a more resilient and sustainable industrial sector that drives long-term prosperity.

To realise these goals, Godonu urged the establishment of clear policies, promoting innovation, and “ensuring that economic growth benefits all stakeholders.”

Speaking on Tuesday at this year’s NUTGTWN National Education Conference at the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS) Ilorin, Kwara State, Godonu disclosed that the annual event would develop strategies for fostering effective partnerships amongst government, industry, and labour.

According to him, it would also identify the roles of each stakeholder for sustainable industrial development.

“It compliments President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda with respect to poverty eradication, economic growth, sustainable industrialisation, job creation, access to capital and improvement of living standard,” he said.

He however added that the Conference with participants from across the country like is also “designed to commemorate the Africa Industrialisation Day (AID), is leveraging Artificial Intelligence (A1) and Green Industrialization to Accelerate Africa’s Structural Transformation.

“This calls for collaborative initiatives and partnership by all relevant stakeholders which is consistent with the theme of our Education Conference,” he added.

Also speaking at the two-day event, the state chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC,) Comrade Muritala Saheed Olayinka, urged the government at all strata to be more concerned about exportation than importation if truly bothered with its Gross Domestic Product (GDP.)

Consequently, he called for more tolerance of entrepreneurship to effectively grow the GDP.

The Director-General of MINILS, Comrade Issa Aremu also urged President Bola Tinubu to hasten his attempt to revive the ailing textile industry with encouraging policies.

He described it as annoying and shameful that a country (Nigeria) with abundant cotton could, rather than export, be importing textile products