by Arowolo Timothy
All hope is not lost on the defunct textile industries in Kaduna as there are plans to
revive the ailing factories. Kaduna Textiles Limited and Arewa Textiles Plc
abandoned over a decade ago could
return to business early next year.
In an interview with the Chairman,
Coalition of Closed Unpaid Textiles Workers
Association, Mr. Wordam Simdik, he said “the Board of Directors of Kaduna Textiles
Limited and the owners of Arewa Textiles Plc had decided to sell some of the firms’
landed properties and old equipment and use the proceeds to pay workers’
entitlements, amounting to N2.6bn.
Simdik also said some foreign investors had shown interest in the renewed efforts to
bring back the industries.
Already, he said several consultative
meetings had been held and appeal letters written to
the Northern Governors’ Forum and other stakeholders to ensure the revival of
the industries as well as settle all outstanding benefits of the workers in
closed factories.
He expressed the joy that all the stakeholders’ efforts to ensure the
restoration of the factories over the years had not been futile.
Simdik said, “The Board of Directors of
Kaduna Textiles Limited has met and they have
taken a decision to see how they can sell some of their landed properties to pay
the workers’ entitlements. A consultant that came from Switzerland wants
to invest in the KTL. All our scrap machines are being sold out now.”
He also said, a similar thing was happening
at the Arewa Textile Plc as the management of
the company had settled issues with its receivers, Union Bank Plc.
He said, “For Arewa Textiles, there is a
very good development there. The management has
been working hard to ensure that Arewa is reopened and the workers’
entitlements are paid. Right now, they are clearing all the trees and grasses around
the mills that have been abandoned for the past 13 years.
The General Secretary, National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of
Nigeria, Mr. Issa Aremu, confirmed the development about the Arewa Textiles.
The Kaduna Textile Limited, owned by the 19 northern states, had been shut for
production since December 2002 while Arewa Textiles closed shop in December 2004.
The textile factories in the northern part
of the country were renowned for the
production of an array of traditional designs, but were faced with many
challenges, including mismanagement, thus restricting the contribution of the sector
to the economy.
However, the challenges facing the sector
have persisted as the Manufacturers Association
of Nigeria in its recent report noted a decline in the capacity utilisation
of the textile, apparel and footwear sector from 50.8 per cent in 2012
to 44.9 per cent in 2013.
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