The National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN), has urged the Federal Government to involve small-scale businesses in driving its new Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).
The union’s General Secretary, Mr Isah Aremu, made the call at the inauguration of the Abuja branch of the Union on Tuesday in Abuja.
Aremu said that the small-scale businesses should benefit from the economy recovery and growth plan.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Government had on March 7, launched the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).
“We want to call on the Federal Government that the new recovery plan should be inclusive of small scale business, that is self-employed people and informal sector workers.
“The cost of doing business for them is very high due to interrupted power supply, among other issues affecting the small-scale business in the country,” he said.
The general secretary urged the Federal Government to stabilise power supply and ensure access to loan facilities.
Aremu maintained that the anticipated seven per cent growth rate of the economy under the ERGP should get the country out of recession when all sectors of the economy, participate actively.
“So, when they talk about businesses, they should not be talking about only multinationals.
“We want government to patronised small businesses, if they are going to pursue the policy.
“That means we should not go and buy the fabric from China and sew them from China but give them to our tailors.
“This means that tailors must be trained to sew police uniforms, customs uniforms, among others as most of these uniforms are imported and sewed from China, which was not encouraging if the country must get of recession”, he said.
Aremu added that the N7.2 trillion budget should be used to finance the economy recovery of Nigeria businesses, especially the indigenous small-scale businesses.
He also advocated for the establishment of an institute for tailors so as to enhance their proficiency as it obtains in other countries.
He called on the Industrial Training Fund to key into this project, saying that UNIDO and the ILO have pledged capacity support for the union.
Mr Denis Zulu, ILO Country Director in Nigeria, commended the union for taking the bold initiative considering the fact that unionism is all about ensuring that members’ rights and privileges are protected.
“This means that no tailor will be harassed or taxed unnecessarily because your union will stand by you.
“I also want to assure you that ILO will provide capacity building for your union”, he said.
Earlier, Mr Paul Ali, the union’s President stressed the need for members of the union to stand for what is right at all times.(NAN)
JAN/OSA/AFA