The National Union of Textile, Garments and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTWN, has pleaded with the federal government to intervene in the disconnection of electricity supply to textile industries in the north by the Kano Electricity Distribution Company, KEDCO.

According to the union, the disconnection resulting from unresolved billing issues, is threatening to force the factories to shutdown.

Recall that the National Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, had increased tariff for Band A customers by 300 per cent, whch has generated a lot of controversies, many customers, individuals and corporates, complaining about the debilitating effects the hike in tariff would have on them.

The union in a letter addressed to the Minister of Industries, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite by the General Secretary, Ali Baba, said: “The factories affected include; Funtua Textiles Limited, Katsina State; Nigeria Spinners and Dyers NSD, Kano; Kano Hoborn Nigeria Limited, Kano; ABC Polymer Kano; and Jay Kay Group, Kano, among others, with a combined work force of over 5000 workers currently out of work due to the disconnection of electricity to their factories.

”Some of these factories have been temporarily closed since May and are considering complete shutdown of operations, if electricity is not restored in the next few weeks as they cannot solely operate on generators.

“These factories had raised alarm over the recent hike in electricity tariff by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, from an average monthly bill of N30 million to an outrageous N100 million per month for a small textile industry struggling to survive.

”Many textile industries in Nigeria and the North-West in particular have closed down due to unfavourable business environment, including unstable power supply.”

SmartPolician:
Over one year in office, Tinubu hadn't gotten anything right! If foreign companies aren't running away from Nigeria, the local industries are collapsing. Which way, agbadorians?

DevilsEqual:
What do they State Govs even do in this country??

PresidObi:


They sit around and endure the brunt of Federal government's stupidity and inefficiency. They watch helplessly as the contracts they award gets devalued due to inflation, and the economic reforms and investments they plan in their states are scattered by foreign currency fluctuations.

The governors also sit helplessly and watch how the Federal agencies like police and army sit around and watch their citizens murdered in cold blood, while they beg the police commissioners and army chiefs to help them secure their states.

DevilsEqual:


So constitutionally they arent responsible for anything? Is that what u mean??

PresidObi:


Of course they are, but what's the point of doing something while another level of government is sabotaging your efforts. Its frustrating.

Paraman:
Go and settle your bills

year2013:


Stupid and daft.

ANlOMA:
Northerners hate that type of work.

Give them cows to raise and train and they'll treat it like a king.

Stop giving them anything that requires brain power to manage

mrvitalis:
This textile industry is costing Nigeria 200 billion dollars a year in garment industry, which can function because local fabric are too expensive and imported fabrics are taxed too high... So garment produced in Nigeria can't compete internationally or even locally

Why can't people see it.. The textile are failing because they are too expensive compared to imported once even after tax

Kill the dam textile industry, give grant to garment industry to flourish... We are closer to Europe n America than Bangladesh, Pakistan and indea

Realistically we have the manpower and cheap gas Nigerian garment factory can bring in 200 billion dollars year if fully done right

Worse case 50 billion dollars but the textile industry must be killed first and duty free fabric allowed

Bangladesh imported 17.5 billion dollars worth of fabric last year and exported nearly 50 billion dollars worth of garment... That' a net of 32.5 billion dollars

This is the same rubbish happening in steel allow steel import... Ajokuta would never be viable it would never be competitive we missed that chance ship has sailed