FG to tackle constraints in textile industry

The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Hajia Aisha Abubakar

Ifeanyi Onuba, Abuja

The Federal Government said it had identified the constraints to the development of the textile sector, noting that plans have been developed to addressing some of these constraints.

The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Aisha Abubakar stated this while speaking during a  tour of  textile factories in Kano.

The tour was part of activities of the North-West Regional customer forum organised by the Bank of Industry.

She listed some of the strategies aimed at addressing the challenges in the textile sector to include prioritising  patronage of made-in-Nigeria products by agencies of government, checking smuggling as well as provision of gas to boost electricity supply.

She said, “Some of the issues we are trying to address are the issues of smuggling and counterfeiting, gas supply to the North. 

“We are also trying to address the issue of patronage. On the issue of patronage, I am sure that by next year we will see more results.”

Abubakar lamented that the Export Expansion Grant previously offered as incentives   by government was grossly  abused by manufacturers, adding that government was looking at bringing it back in an entirely different way for better and effective implementation. 

She said, “You know the EEG was so much abused. The EEG is going to come back but it is going to come back in a different way.

“A lot of verification, a lot of audit is still on going for us to see what we can do because we generally believe in EEG.